Dear Families, 

Welcome to the new school year!

A warm welcome is extended to all families joining our Launceston Big Picture School community this year, particularly, new families. I am pleased to say that our students have made a very positive start to 2023 and have been particularly impressive with settling into positive learning habits.

From a personal perspective, I am excited to be re-joining and leading our school as Principal. I would like to thank Caleb Turale for his outstanding leadership of our school last year whilst I was away.

I hope you enjoy reading the first of our monthly digital newsletters. Thank you in advance for your support.

2023 Staffing

Thank you for your understanding as we have worked through department of education processes, with regard to finalising our staffing for 2023. I can now confirm the following:

New Staff

10C Advisory Teacher- Tom Clark. Tom joins are school from Exeter Primary School and also comes to us having had other significant experiences from with the Department of Education.

Support Teacher- Brock Kerslake.  Brock returns to our school after a period of leave during 2022. He will provide support to all students and staff and will be a key resource with supporting our young people who require adjustments with their learning program.

Attendance At School Matters- Making Every Minute Count!

At LBPS we have a real commitment to supporting and ensuring students attend school. Our school day begins at 8.55 am and finishes at 2:45 pm. The information below highlights some important elements around attendance.  We monitor individual student attendance closely and would really like to see all students work hard to increase their individual attendance percentage.

Higher student attendance at school is associated, on average, with higher student achievement.

Why is regular attendance at school important?

Regular school attendance will mean that your child has a better chance in life.

• they learn better
• they make friends
• they are happier
• they have a brighter future.

Why must I send my child to school?

Under Tasmanian law, you must make sure your child of school age is enrolled and attends school all day, every school day unless they have an acceptable reason. Illness, doing learning through internship placements or competing in a school sporting event are acceptable reasons for being absent from school.

The DECYP Attendance Policy states.

“Consistent attendance at school is critical to achieving positive educational outcomes and keeping students engaged in their learning. Parents/guardians have a legal obligation to ensure a child is enrolled in and attending school or is registered for home education. “

Avoid keeping your child away from school for:

• birthdays, shopping, visiting family and friends, if they sleep in, looking after other children, haircuts, etc

Routine medical or other health appointments should be made either before or after school or during the school holidays.

What should I do if our family is going on a holiday in school time?

You are encouraged not to schedule holidays during school time. If your family holiday is during school time, let the school know in advance and talk about what arrangements can be made for your child.

Do I need to let the school know if my child has been away from school?

Yes, you must let the school know the reason why your child has been absent. If possible, advise the school beforehand.

Are you having problems getting your child to school for some of these reasons?

• won’t get out of bed in the morning
• won’t go to bed at night
• can’t find their uniform, books, school bag …
• haven’t done their homework or have a test or presentation to do, have an assignment to hand in
• watching TV
• it’s their birthday

If so, a set routine can help

• have a set time to go to bed
• have a set time to get out of bed
• have uniform and school bag ready the night before
• set a time for daily homework activities
• speak about school positively
• be firm, send your child to school every school day including their birthday and the last day of term!

What should I do if my child won’t go to school?

You should contact us as soon as possible for advice and support.  Every day counts – is your child at school today?

The following chart highlights the impact of non-attendance over time.  Viewed in this context, the implications of regular absenteeism are startling.  The chart shows the cumulative effect of persistent non-attendance over the period of compulsory schooling.

School Association Meetings

At LBPS we are grateful for the support of our families and wider school community. Learning is very much a partnership between home and school. I have the pleasure of sharing our success stories and our school priorities at our School Association meetings. I invite any family or members of our school community 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 2022 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.

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 text. 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. 

Our Newsletter

We are very keen for all families to access our newsletter which is sent electronically and at the end of every month. Please remember to click on the link below in order to subscribe:

If you are involved in a community organisation and would like to advertise in our newsletter, please contact our office. Where possible, we will be happy to assist.

Useful Links

Website- Our website allows you to access lots of useful information about our school 

SMS Only- 0427 016 460 to report student absences

Our 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 without teacher permission.

-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.

There is also a FAQs for Families that will hopefully answer some questions you may have.

NAPLAN assessments will begin on the 15^thMarch and run for two weeks. The assessments are carried out online and are far more targeted to the level of the students completing them. The program is able to adjust the difficulty of the questions based on how many your child is getting correct. We found the engagement with the NAPLAN assessments to be much higher when students are completing them online.

Please encourage your child to do their very best and not be concerned about the test like nature of these assessments.

The data that comes back to our school as a result of the assessments, is extremely useful in measuring how well we are supporting the learning of our students at Launceston Big Picture School.

Adrian Dean
Principal

Exploring the Local Community 

Students have been in our local community, exploring Learning Through Internship opportunities for 2023.

LTI Excursion

Miller Roughley
10B - Rob Lewandowski

Photo 1:  Just before we were about to leave to go back to school, I spotted a Mercedes parked on the other side of the road next to Tsing Wah in town. I thought it would be good to take a photo and learn how to edit photos, this photo came out looking exceptional and I am quite proud of it. Credits to Armon Castor for helping with final adjustments.

Photo 2 & 3: As there was fruit to spare at school, Harley and I went down to the kitchen and prepared two platters of fruit for the whole school. To document some of my learning I took two photos.

Photo 4:  I was at City Park before I had to get on the bus to go home, I spotted a bumblebee on an intricately coloured red and orange flower.

Photo 5, 6 & 7: I am without doubt fascinated by detailed photos of things such as flowers, spiders, and other insects.

Advisory 10C Business Opportunity 

Advisory 10C enjoyed the opportunity to explore a range of different businesses on Thursday, 23rd February as part of our exploration for Leaving to Learn opportunities.

From small business coffee and tea shops, IT and gaming stores, book stores, fashion and customer service, sports, real estate and much more. 

We hope that we can now create some LTI possibilities!

UTAS Orientation Week

UTAS orientation week activities were held on campus at Inveresk last week. 

This event provided a range of stalls from St Johns Ambulance, cooking, massage, photo booth, mental health, henna tattoos and mocktails.

Aria attended a pop-up painting stall, students could either create their own art canvas or be assisted in a guided painting session.

Amy’s current term project is about Tarot card readings.  Amy had an opportunity to learn about a range of Tarot cards, understanding the terminology meaning when having their cards read.

The activities were great and all students enjoyed mixing in with Univeristy staff and students.

UTAS Library Visit

As a school we are very fortunate to be located in the Inveresk precinct and to have a strong relationship with the University of Tasmania! The new University library is an amazing building- our students enjoy the opportunity to visit and learn in the space!

We want your help for our Learning Through Interest Program!

If you are a local business and have opportunities for students to engage in your industry, please contact Mel at melanie.van.asperen@decyp.tas.gov.au

Mel Van Asperen
LTI Co-ordinator

Officeworks Excursion

As part of their introduction to personalised learning, grade 9 students were allocated $25 to source and purchase their own stationary from Office Works. Time was spent researching and ensuring ”wish lists” were within budget.

RSPCA Visit

The first incursion for 2023, presenters Liza and Brodie from RSPCA Animal Welfare Program. Students were engaged by learning how to care for their own animals, while looking out for symptoms and signs of animal behaviours.

Big Commitment - Reading 

Reading is a priority for all students. Year 11’s have been taking advantage of the beautiful weather and the UTAS hammocks to meet the Big Commitment reading goals.

Check-Ins with Advisory 9A

An important part of the Big Picture design are 'Check-ins'. '

Check-ins' are warm up or pick-up activities that allow the group to build advisory culture, practice care, trust, respect and of course to lead into learning activities. 

One check in we ran last week was to create an object out of playdough or plasticine that reflected an aspect or your personality, a passion, or an interest. Our group came up with a host of objects that where then discussed in a 'Pair/Share' activity. A rat, cat, fish or two, octopus, dog, shark, grape fanta can and some text pieces amongst many other things reflect some talented sculpting, but also diverse passions and interests.

A great getting to know each other activity with some awesome results!

Teachers and Leaders are Learners Too (Big Picture Distinguisher 11)

New ideas constantly emerge as part of the learning cycle process. Teachers and leaders in Big Picture schools and programs regularly attend to new ideas and learn new ways of working. They develop reflective practice and find ways of sharing this learning with others. On Wednesday, 22^nd February staff participated in Knowing How to Learn: Metacognition professional learning.

Advisory 10A Personal Interest Projects

Students in Advisory 10A have made a great start on their personal interest projects. 

We have projects ranging from making original jewellery designs, bleach painting on clothing and decorating rooms in a dollhouse according to the principles of feng shui, through to an exploration of Islam, the hotel industry and the effects of current work practices on brain chemistry and mental health. 

It is shaping up to be a busy and enlightening term.

Guide Dogs Tasmania Visit

Some of our students are interested in learning about guide dogs and the processes involved. Recently we had a visit from Guide Dogs Tasmania which was very informative and an added bonus was the “cuteness” of the dogs!

Active Learning - Cooking

Active Learning groups are a highlight for our young people! From Art, Bikes, Dungeons and Dragons, Minecraft, Photography, Sport & Rec, Movie and Book Club, Music, Cooking, Construction and Dog Walking, there is something for everyone.

Here is a little of what the Cooking group did in their first session.

Active Learning - Bike Program

This is a video of new recruit to the bikes program Kole Bretag testing out one of our more unusual bikes.

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 Term so far are:

• TAYA RICE:  Respect - For helping others.
• HAMISH TILLACK SMITH:  Respect - Great ideas for advisory expectations.
• LYNCOLN BURTON: Growth - Helping another student with bus details.
• ELLIE SPOTSWOOD: Aspiration, Courage, Respect and Growth - For being a good friend.
• BELINDA BYERLEY: Courage - Modelling for a photography project.
• DARCY CHUGG: Respect - For consistently being nice and respectful to his peers.

Thursday, 2nd March

• Career Event

Friday, 10th March

• The Bridport Beach Day has become a tradition at Launceston Big Picture School in Term 1. The purpose of the day is to build our school community and nurture a sense of respect, fun and co-operation amongst students and staff. Students in Grade 12 are organising the excursion and have been busy learning about identifying hazards and risk management, considering individual’s needs and preferences to organise a range of fun activities and options, and working collaboratively to ensure the day is well planned. The beach day is happening on Friday 10^th March and we look forward to all students getting together for the day.

15th March - 24th March

• NAPLAN

27th March - 31st March 

• Exhibitions 

Wednesday, 5th April 

• Last Day of Term 1

Thursday, 6th April

• IBPLC Cross School Moderation Day 

FACEBOOK POSTS 

As always, please remember that when engaging with any Department of Education page, to do so in a respectful manner, in line with our Terms of Use which can be found in the ‘about’ section of our page.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

Please ensure your student keeps their school polo top in their bag or keeps it safe in their Advisory room at all times.

It is compulsory for students to wear their school uniform when attending school excursions, interviews, LTIs or if they are representing the school at events. 

Uniforms can be purchased from the school office and are sold at cost price:

• Polo Shirts with school logo = $30 
• School Hoody with school logo = $65

Any pre-worn uniform donations would be very much appreciated and are used in our emergency uniform/clothing pool.

PARKING  

It is highly recommended that parents and visitors to the school DO NOT PARK along the nature strip in front of the school, along the footpath or on the grass area beside Aurora Stadium.

The City Council have recently approached the school and have informed staff that this area is being patrolled and $86.00 infringements are being issued.

Parents and visitors are advised to use the paid parking facilities at the Inveresk Car Park (next to Blue Cafe).

COMMUNICATION & 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.

• SMS Only - 0427 016 460 to report student absences, please send a text to our short message service
• 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

2023 Student Leaders 

2023 Support Staff 

Our Newsletter

Thank you to those people who have signed up to receive an electronic copy of our newsletter! I certainly hope that you enjoy reading it!

If you haven’t subscribed please use the link below to do so:

If are involved in a community organisation and would like to advertise in our newsletter, please contact our office. Where possible, we will be happy to assist.

Thank You

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@decyp.tas.gov.au

Jennifer Kendall
School Business Manager