Filter Content
- 1. PRINCIPALS REPORT
- 2. LEARNING THROUGH INTERNSHIP
- 3. STUDENT WORK/ACHIEVEMENTS
- 4. ACTIVE LEARNING GROUPS
- 5. CAUGHT IN THE ACT AWARDS
- 6. WHATS COMING UP
- 7. COMMUNITY NOTICE BOARD
- 8. LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT STAFF 2021
- 9. SCHOOL CONTACT DETAILS
- 10. THE 12 DISTINGUISHERS
- 11. PUBLIC NOTICES
- 12. NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTIONS
Welcome back to the school year and I hope you enjoy reading the first of our monthly digital newsletters. A special welcome to our new families - we are very pleased to have new students join all grades!
We also have the following new staff joining our team:
- Brendan Liddell- Grade 9 Advisory Teacher
- Tracey Vimpany- Teacher Assistant
- Jo Freeland- Teacher Assistant
We have had a very settled start to the year, and it has been pleasing to see students busily preparing and organising their learning plans and Learning Through Internship (LTI) placements. Students have also enthusiastically participated in our Active Learning groups which run for 2 hours on Friday afternoons.
We also have our regular student led Town Hall celebration every Friday at midday. Our values, respect, courage, aspiration and growth underpin much of our work and interaction. Throughout term one we are focussing on unpacking and building awareness of what it means to demonstrate respect at school and in our community. Our Town Hall meetings throughout this term will all include a focus or example of the importance of respect. Students are to be commended for their leadership of these events.
School Improvement Planning
Schools are all required to have a clear and concise Improvement Plan that guides our work with the obvious main goal of improving student outcomes in both learning and wellbeing. We have been busy consolidating our Improvement Plan for 2021. This work is guided very clearly by a vast array of data sets that we closely scan and assess to determine our areas of focus. Data includes both quantitative and qualitative data such as academic progress, satisfaction survey results from staff, students and parents, attendance data, behaviour data and wellbeing survey information. Our main priority areas are:
- Quality Teaching - Reading
- Student Wellbeing - enhancing cognitive engagement.
Underneath these two areas sit the next level of priorities relating to these improvement areas. We have clear actions and processes that will guide our work in continuing to be the very best we can in providing outstanding teaching and learning opportunities for all our students and staff coupled with an equally important focus on everyone’s wellbeing.
School Association Meetings
I have the pleasure of sharing our Improvement Plan through our School Association meetings and I invite any family or school community members to come along to hear more about our improvement journey and our wonderful school at these meetings. Joining our School Association is a wonderful opportunity to be part of the decision making within the school. In 2020 we had a very dedicated group of parents and community members who attended our meetings. Our group meets during week 8 of each term (Wednesday at 5:00 pm). Light refreshments are provided at each meeting! We welcome and encourage new members so please consider completing a nomination form (see enclosed within this newsletter).
Our 1st School Association Meeting For 2021 – Wednesday March 24th - 5.00pm-6.00pm - @ LBPS
Learning Plan Meetings
Thank you to all our families who recently attended and actively participated in learning plan meetings- you are a very vital part of your child’s learning and these meetings ensure that positive learning outcomes are achieved at school.
Please remember that we aim to keep communication channels open throughout the term and welcome regular family involvement. Our key motto is that “Families are enrolled too”.
Communication
Effective communication between home and school is vital to support our students’ successful engagement and participation in education. As a school we are working to reduce paper usage and as a consequence, we aim to regularly communicate with families via email and/or our Launceston Big Picture School App. Please ensure that the email address that our office has on file (from validation forms) is your active address.
Our Launceston Big Picture (Official) Facebook Page is an excellent source of information and communication of updates to students, parents and the community. Of course, anyone using these are required to follow strict protocols regarding appropriate conduct/comment/posts.
Parents are encouraged to contact Advisory teachers or any member of staff at the slightest cause for any concern for students.
Useful Links
I would like to remind families of some useful links and apps that you may use to assist with receiving communication from our school.
Schoolzine App & Newsletter - Our newsletter is published at the end of every month through Schoolzine. Schoolzine is an app that allows you to communicate with the school, receive notices and newsletters
School Website - Our website allows you to access lots of useful information about our school
School Facebook - please 'like' our facebook page as we often post communication to parents on there
SMS Only - 0427 016 460 to report student absences, please send a text to our short message service
Off & Away Mobile Phone Policy
From the commencement of Term 2, 2020 all Tasmanian Government Schools from Kindergarten to Year 12 implemented restrictions on the use of mobile phones by students at school. The Minister for Education and Training announced the policy in November, 2019.
Kindergarten to Year 12 – “Off and away all day”
The decision to restrict the use of mobile phones by students during the school day will support schools to minimise distraction from learning and encourage healthy and positive personal interactions.
The policy has been developed in consultation with schools, School Associations and students. At Launceston Big Picture School, we actively consulted and worked with our students, staff and School Association members as to how we best implement the government’s policy.
Some key things that our policy includes are as follows:
- All advisory rooms will have a locked mobile phone storage box.
- From the start of the school day to the end of the school day, students in grade 9 and 10 must have their mobile phones switched off and stored in a locked box located in each advisory classroom.
- Grade 11 and 12 students will have access to their devices during break times but they must not be used during learning time.
- All communication with students during the school day must go through the school office.
- The government’s policy applies to all students, unless they meet the requirements of an approved exemption.
- Applications for exemption must be made to the school principal and will be considered on a case by case basis.
The following link is a FAQs for Familes that will hopefully answer some questions you may have.
Cup Day PL
On Wednesday our staff participated in a professional learning session at Queechy High School. We worked with colleagues from both Queechy and Newstead College. The focus of our work was on Formative Assessment and the importance of regularly checking student learning progress. Formative assessment is a key part of our instructional model.
Volunteers
Launceston Big Picture School has a proud history of volunteer involvement. I would like to invite any family or community members who hold a “Working with Vulnerable People” authorisation to contact the school if you have any interest in assisting in a volunteer capacity. The school welcomes the contributions of our volunteers. Should you have a special area of expertise to offer, or simply wish to support our students in their daily programs, please feel free to approach a member of our team with your ideas and interests.
Congratulations Chloe Hawkins, Kristin Van Wyk, Lily Dias
Chloe, Kristin and Lily are members of our very impressive year 12 cohort. At the end of 2020, they applied to be part of the University of Tasmania‘s High Achievement Program (HAP) for year 12 students. They had to submit evidence of their learning as part of their application and just recently found out that they were successful. The girls will study the following:
- Chloe - History
- Kristin - Psychology
- Lily- Psychology
Contragulations girls.
Adrian Dean
Principal
2. LEARNING THROUGH INTERNSHIP
Welcome back to a new year of Learning Through Internships. For 2021 I look forward to engaging with each student to learn about their passions, talents and what interests them to explore careers and pathways. Week four of Term 1 and we have already been out of the school environment in the real-world learning from experts and business mentors.
Mel Van Asperen
LTI Co-ordinator
Grade 9 Advisory’s Learning about LTI’s
Both Marianne’s and Brendan’s Grade 9 Advisory groups have been learning about Launceston Big Picture Schools Learning Through Internship process, with our initial exploration being to complete group Informational Interview sessions. We are very grateful to Invermay McDonald’s Manager Phil, and Sweetbrew owner Archana for generously volunteering their time to meet with our advisory’s and discuss elements of their business.
These experiences have been incredibly beneficial, with a number of students in both advisory’s having used the knowledge they have gained during these group Informational Interviews to contact and organise their own Informational Interview sessions. It is hoped that the majority of Grade 9 students will have arranged, with the assistance of our LTI co-ordinator Mel Van Asperen, at least one of their own Informational Interview sessions prior to the end of term one
We are very excited to hear how our students find their first interview experiences, and are heartened by the willingness of local Launceston businesses who have volunteered their time to support our Big Picture learners.
Brendan Liddell
Year 9A Advisory
Tasmanian Hospitality Association
Kate from Tasmanian Hospitality Association (THA) presented to a group of keen hospitality industry students. Kate shared her career from completing a certificate as a Chef, becoming a head chef at Anvers Chocolate Factory to travelling around Europe, to working in Italy to master the skills of making fresh pasta. Kate spoke about the benefits of working and travelling, how companies offer packages for positions in remote towns. Once Kate returned to Australia she worked with celebrities as a chef for Master Chef. The one-hour session provided information on a range of career opportunities within the hospitality sector. Students were made aware that hospitality is not just working in a café or a bar.
Mel Van Asperen
LTI Co-ordinator
The Mercury Newspaper
On Monday the 22nd, Justin and I went to have an informational interview with the journalist Tim Martain from the Mercury. We found out quite a lot about the industry. Hearing about his twenty years of experience gave us some incredible insight to what his job is like and what the ups and downs of it were.
Tim is still passionate about his job, even though how the news stories need to be written has changed dramatically. Now, journalists need to cram as much information into the first sentence as possible and the maximum length of a story has been cut in half due to the decrease in reader attention spans. This means cutting out a lot of detail and only leaving the essentials of the story, which according to Tim are who, what, when, where, why and how. However, he also believes that the journalists own interpretations of the events are vital to a good story as it provides colour, as he calls it.
At present, the news is a declining industry, but Tim hopes that there willl be a solution to that someday and continues to do his best to write short and engaging stories.
Fenix Jaitong
Grade 10B Advisory
Masterbuilders
Masterbuiders TAS offered a career pathway session to students interested in the construction industry.
Matthew along with a Fairbrother second year apprentice spoke about job opportunities, qualifications and work skills when applying for positions.
Mel Van Asperen
LTI Co-ordinator
Fur Babies and Friends Photography
One of our year 11 students Justyne Westwood went on a shadow day with a local photographer Deb Sulzberger from Fur Babies and Friends Photography. Deb posted the following on her social media page:
I got out gunned today by a 16 year old !!! And it was great !!!
Justyne, a year 11 student at the Big Picture school contacted me a few weeks ago to see if I could help her out with some mentoring. She has chosen to do photography as her first term focus and wanted to shadow me so today we met at Hollybank. I organised Blaze and Comet to come along to help out. Justyne had her own camera and after a bit of practice I gave her mine to have a go. WOW, she has such a good eye and took some amazing photos which I will email her to edit but wanted to share a couple of back of camera shots and some of her. Composition was spot on !!! And best of all she wants to come back
Deb Sulzberger
Fur Babies and Friends Photography
We want your help for our Learning Through Internship Program!
If you are a local business and have opportunities for students to engage in your industry during this uncertain time please contact Mel at melanie.van.asperen@education.tas.gov.au.
Mel Van Asperen
LTI Co-ordinator
Kingborough Art Prize
Anna is currently in year 12 and is a very talented artist. She entered a painting in last weekend’s Kingborough Art Prize (in Hobart).She had priced it at $250.
Anna was awarded a highly commended prize for her work but also was told that her painting sold on day one of the exhibition to a young lady who had been doing odd jobs and saving all year to purchase a piece of artwork at this year’s exhibition.
Anna met the girl who bought her painting and the photo below is her with Anna and the painting Anna did -“The King River at Lowana”. Congratulations Anna.
Anna Aitken
Grade 12B Advisory
Stictchcoda
I would like to introduce Stitchcoda.
Stictchcoda is a teddy bear that I bought from the op-shop and did up by changing the eyes out for buttons and adding ribbons stitches pins and a choker.
Over all Stitchcoda has a gothic style which I personally love. Stitchcoda relates to my personal project on neopronouns.
Neopronouns are a form of personal pronoun beyond she/he/they. A great example of this is Stitchcoda who uses xey/xem pronouns. Xey help the advisory practice neopronouns so that when they meet somebody who uses neopronouns they might find it that little bit easier to use that persons preferred pronouns.
Kit Aitken
Grade 10B Advisory
Art Rage Prize
Iman McGregor graduated from year 12 at our school at the end of last year. Iman had a passion for the arts and regularly demonstrated amazing work.
Today she returned to our school to inform us that she had w
on the prestigious Art Rage prize. Her entry was judged as the best work from that exhibited by students from across the entire state.
Congratulations Iman - we are very proud of you and we wish you all the best as you commence your Bachelor of Design course next week at the University of Tasmania.
STEAM
(Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Maths)
To further our STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Maths) programme here at LBPS we have recently purchased 2 x multifunctional 3D printer/CNC/Laser engraving machines.
The Snapmaker 2.0 is the second version of this machine (hence the name 2.0) that allows makers to turn ideas into products. Student will be able to see their project ideas, artwork and designs turned into real-world products, while learning skills that apply to a range of current industries.
Keep your eyes on this space as we share what students are making and I’m sure you will see things popping up during exhibitions. In the meantime, watch the video below to watch what these amazing machines are capable of.
Dan Smith
Grade 10A Advisor
Aspiration, Courage, Respect, Growth
We are always looking for ways of rewarding positive behaviour at our school.
Students and staff are encouraged to nominate those people who have shown Aspiration, Courage, Respect or Growth. Winners receive a voucher from Bizy Bee Café, Invermay Road and our winners this month so far are:
- Phoebe Kelbassa demonstrated Growth: shared some knowledge that was very helpful to her peers.
- Ben Miller demonstrated Courage, Respect, Growth: always helping others when needed.
- Bridie Dwyer demonstrated Courage and Growth: for taking on the challenge to learn new software applications.
- Bella Howorka demonstrated Aspiration and Growth: for successfully obtaining two LTI placements even though we are only in week 5.
- Meolody-Jane Collyer demonstrated Respect and Growth: for being supportive of class members.
- Brayden Hoare demonstrated Growth: for putting his hand up to do Scotty's recipe for multicultural day.
Student ID Photos
We have booked a professional photography service to come to school on Wednesday, 31st March to take student photos for their ID cards.
Students are to wear their School Polo Top or School Hoody and the ID cards should be ready at the start of Term 2.
We have been advised that ID cards should carry students birth name (not preferred name) as this has implication for establishing identity for Centrelink, Medicare, Bank ID, Airports, Drivers Licence etc..
If you have any concerns or would like to discuss the above, then please contact the school office on 6335 1500.
Jennifer Kendall
School Business Manager
COVID Quick Check-In TAS
To comply with Public Health Directions, our school is now set up with the COVID Check In TAS App. This app enables visitors to our school to register their visit using the self-check-in QR code and have their information directly stored with the Tasmanian Department of Health for contact tracing (if required).
Use of the app will help the Tasmanian contact tracing team quickly identify and assist anyone who may have been exposed to COVID-19.
Click on the link below for instructions on how to Download the COVID Check-In TAS App.
Fire Evacuation Practice
On the 2nd day of term, the school organised a Fire Evacuation simulation with the Tasmania Fire Service.
The Fire Brigade came to school and set off the fire alarms.
The schools Chief Fire Warden (School Principal) initiated an evacuation and the Area Fire Wardens (School Staff) directed everyone to the nearest Fire Exit Doors.
Everyone gathered at the assembly point and the Advisory Teachers took a rollcall of their Advisory.
The Schools Evacuation Team went through the school to ensure no one was left inside.
The school carries out a practice evacuation regularyl and the Fire Brigade confirmed the whole process only took 5 minutes and 3 seconds.
Bob's Bikes
We are very proud of our bike repair program- Bob’s Bikes!
It started at Launceston Big Picture School in 2011. For the first five years all our restored bikes were sent directly to Africa through the Care for Africa Foundation. From 2016 onwards we have been selling the bikes we restore on GumTree or from outside the front of the school. Over the past four years we have raised over $10,000.00.
If you have an old unwanted bike we would gladly take them off your hands. We can even arrange to come and collect them.
If you can help, please contact our school office on 6335 1500.
8. LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT STAFF 2021
Leadership Staff 2021
Principal |
Adrian Dean |
Assistant Principal |
Tanya Ringuet |
Grade 9 Advisor |
Brendan Liddell |
Grade 9 Advisor |
Marianne Olsen |
Grade 10 Advisor |
Dan Smith |
Grade 10 Advisor |
Sonja Peters |
Grade 11 Advisor |
Nick Hill |
Grade 11/12 Advisor |
Ben Miller |
Grade 12 Advisor |
Robert Lewandowski |
Support Teacher |
Lauren Taylor |
Support Staff 2021
School Psychologist |
Rebecca Mizzi |
Wednesday (fortnightly) |
School Social Worker |
Jasmine Poslon |
Monday (weekly) |
School Business Manager |
Jennifer Kendall |
Daily |
Administration Officer |
Roslyn Butler |
Mon, Tues, Wed |
IT Support |
Jesse North |
Wednesday (weekly) |
LTI Coordinator |
Melanie Van Asperen |
Daily |
Teacher Assistant
|
Adrian Stabb Robert Blackman Jo Freeland Jacqui Leslie Tracy Vimpany |
Monday, Friday Wednesday Monday Mon, Wed, Friday Mon, Wed, Friday |
Education Facility Attendant |
Michael Doolan |
Daily |
Postal Address: | 4 Invermay Road, Inveresk, TAS, 7248 |
Reception Tel: | 6335 1500 (with answerphone service) |
SMS Only: | 0427 016 460 (to report student absences) |
Email Address: | https://lbps@education.tas.gov.au |
Web Page : | https://lbps.education.tas.edu.au/ |
Newsletter: | https://launcestonbps.schoolzineplus.com/subscribe |
Schoolzine App: | https://launcestonbps.schoolzineplus.com/app/ |
Sessionkeeper: | https://launcestonbps.sessionkeeper.com.au/ |
Facebook: | https://www.facebook.com/launcestonbigpictureschool/ |
youtube: |
Big Picture Education has 12 distinguishers. In our newsletter we will share them. Our first is...
1. Academic Rigour: Head, Heart and Hand
Big Picture schools have a strong intellectual purpose for each and every student. Students are continually challenged to deepen their learning and improve their performance across five learning goals: quantitative reasoning, empirical reasoning, social reasoning, communication skills and personal qualities. A high standard of academic work is expected of all students.
Transport Services
School Absences
Informing School of Student Absences
Your child’s Advisory Teacher records attendance daily using the DoE EduPoint system. Attendance is taken between 8:55am – 9:30am. If your child is going to be absent, you will need to inform the school ASAP - otherwise the EduPoint system automatically marks the absence as ‘Unauthorised-Unexplained’ and this is not altered until communication is received from parents. The preferred method of communication is to send the school an SMS on – 0427 016 460 (this is a short message service only, so you will not be able to ring the school on this number). LBPS admin check the SMS service throughout the day and update any changes to student attendance. You can of course ring the school direct on 6335 1500 and leave a voice message on the answerphone.
Parking
Please be vigilant when parking along the school’s nature strip and footpath during drop off/pick up times - as the City Council are distributing $70 parking fines. Requests to the City Council to withdraw the fines are proving ineffective, as they are unable to alter the State Government standards.
Foster Care program at Baptcare
Foster care is about providing a safe, secure and stable environment for a child or young person when they are unsafe or unable to remain at home.
Baptcare operates a foster care program in Tasmania and we are in need of new foster carers to provide support to children and young people across the state.
Support available from CatholicCare Tasmania
Please see the attached a flyer for the PAUSE parenting program facilitated by CatholicCare. The program is aimed at parents of adolescents (8-18). Due to current COVID-19 restrictions the program is now being offered online. During the program parents will be given information about their child’s brain development, communication, social media, internet safety, problem solving and how to have difficult conversations.
Please see the attached flyer from CatholicCare for services available in the Launceston area regardless of circumstances or background.
MyTime, supporting parents of children with disabilities
Just want to say a BIG THANK YOU to all the LBPS students who have contributed to this months newsletter, we really do enjoy reading your articles and stories of your personal progress.
If students have stories they would like to share, then please email your news items to me jennifer.kendall@education.tas.gov.au
Jennifer Kendall
School Business Manager