24 October 2025

Principal’s Report

Enrolling Now - Kindergarten Students for 2026

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Welcome Back

Welcome back to Blacktown South Public School for Term 4, always a busy and rewarding term. It is a term in which we hold many special events celebrating the achievements of our students.  It is also a time to review and make plans for the coming year.

Term 4 Calendar

Attached to this newsletter is the Term 4 School Calendar. It was correct at the time of printing.

A paper copy of the Term 4 Calendar was sent home last week – Week 1 Term 4.

School Book Fair

The School Book Fair was held in the school Library this week. Thank you to the parents and caregivers who supported this activity.

Kindergarten Transition

Kindergarten Transition will proceed for our 2026 Kindergarten students starting in Week 4 for a three-week period.

We are holding Kindergarten Transition in two groups, a Tuesday Group and Wednesday Group between 9.30am and 11.15am.

Group 1: Tuesday 4^th, Tuesday 11^th and Tuesday 18^th November

Group 2: Wednesday 5^th, Wednesday 12^th and Wednesday 19^th November

Detailed information about Kindergarten Transition has been emailed home.

If you have an queries please contact the office.

Attendance

In Week 1, we sent home attendance reports to provide families with a clear overview of the number of whole and partial days their child has been absent from school. The purpose of this report is to encourage families to reduce absenteeism and promote consistent school attendance.

Student Attendance Awards to recognise excellent attendance at school (part-day absences are not included in these calculations) were sent home earlier this week. A big congratulations to the 223 students who received a 100% attendance award, while 263 students achieved a 95% attendance award. This is an increased number of students for both awards compared with Term 3. Great effort Blacktown South.

For Term 4, we intend to monitor attendance over the first 8 weeks - 40 days and distribute Term 4 attendance awards in Week 10.

Little Library

Our final Little Library session was held last Friday 17^th October. It was wonderful to see so many of our younger siblings and 2026 Kindergarten students enjoying a morning of fun craft activities and reading books.

Inclusive Bowling Final EV

Huge congratulations to Maliah Rogan, Tepono Montgomery, Prabhnoor Singh and Joseph Nau who competed in the Inclusive Bowling Final held at Campbelltown City Bowling on the last Thursday of last term. A special thanks to Mr Velonas who has supported and coached these students at each event throughout the year.

Lunch with the Stars

Our library monitors were lucky enough to attend ‘Lunch with the Stars’ at Wentworthville Leagues Club late last term. We met many Australian Authors and illustrators including Carla Fitzgerald, Jules Faber and Ashleigh Barton.

We had the wonderful opportunity to share stories, learn about the writing and illustrating processes and have time for photos and autographs. It was an amazing experience for our students.

The Blacktown Learning Community (BLC) STEAM Team Expo

Congratulations to Jay, Juno, Aahana and Nitya who represented our school at the Blacktown Learning Community STEAM Team Expo held on Monday 20^th October at Seven Hills High School. The students had worked throughout last term designing and creating their project under the guidance of Mr Tibbels. On Monday afternoon they displayed their finished project with fourteen other Blacktown Schools.

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Group Photos 

Group Photos were taken on Monday for all our extracurricular groups. Orders should be available online in the next few weeks. Information for ordering will be sent home when available.

Enrolling Now - Kindergarten Students for 2026

If you have a pre-schooler or have neighbours or friends with pre-schoolers in our drawing area who are turning 5 years of age before the 31^st July 2026 please start the enrolment process NOW. If your child is turning 6 in 2026, they must attend school next year.

Information and links about Enrolments can be found here on our School Website, where you can check your address, to see if it is within BSPS local intake area.

Complete an Online Enrolment application.

If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the office by phone or email.

Selective High Schools and Opportunity Classes (OC) Applications for 2027

Online applications will open for Year 3 students intending to apply for a 2027, OC placement and Year 5 students intending to apply for a 2027, Selective High School placement on Thursday November 6^th. The online application process will stay open until Friday 20^th February 2026. 

More information will be available in the coming weeks.

Information on Student Movement for 2026

Earlier this week we sent home a note requesting information about students’ movement for 2026. It is most important that we know accurately how many families will be moving to another school for 2026.

It is also very important for the school to have accurate information about families/students who will be returning late to school in 2026 due to family holidays and travel. We need to be able to assure that we have reserved a place for these students in a class for 2026.

If you are leaving BSPS at the end of this year or returning later in Term 1 due to travel, please complete the note attached and return it to the office.

Your assistance with this is greatly appreciated.

Parking reminder

Unfortunately, we have received many complaints and concerns from neighbours about parents and caregivers doing the wrong thing on the roads around our school, particularly at the afternoon at pick-up time.

Please ensure you do not park illegally in driveways or in no stopping or parking zones. We are particularly concerned about parents who call students across busy roads or driving with excessive speed.

Thanks for your cooperation in this area.

Andrew Bowmer – Principal

Cultural Calendar for October & November

Dear Parents,

I endeavour to include as many cultural events as possible, unfortunately I do accidently miss some. If I have missed an important cultural event for your culture or religion please inform me so I can correct it in the coming newsletter. Thanks for your help.

October 24^th – Independence Day – Zambia

October 26^th – National Day – Austria

October 27^th – National Day – Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, National Day – Turkmenistan

October 27^th – Teachers’ Day – Australia

October 28^th – National Day – Czech Republic

October 29^th – National Day – Turkey

October 31^st – Halloween or Hallowe'en (a contraction of Hallows' Even or Hallows' Evening), also known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve, is a celebration observed in several countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day.

November 1^st – All Saints Day (Christian) also known as All Hallows' Day, Hallowmas, the Feast of All Saints, or Solemnity of All Saints, is a Christian festival celebrated in honour of all the saints, known and unknown.

November 1^st – Anniversary Day – Algeria, Independence Day – Antigua and Barbuda

November 2^nd – All Souls’ Day (Christian) in some Christian denominations, All Souls' Day or the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, that is, of the souls of all Christians who have died, follows All Saints' Day. Observing Christians typically remember deceased relatives on the day.

November 3^rd - Independence Day – Dominica, National Day – Panama, National Day – Federated States of Micronesia

November 4^th - National Day - Tonga

November 5^th – Guy Fawkes’ Day (UK) also known as Bonfire Night and Firework Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in the United Kingdom. Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding explosives the plotters had placed beneath the House of Lords. Celebrating the fact that King James I had survived the attempt on his life, people lit bonfires around London.

November 5^th –Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji (Sikh) falls on Kartik Puranmashi, the full moon day of the month Kartik, which usually falls in November in the western calendar. This holiday is one of the most significant festivals of the Sikh community and commemorates Guru Nanak Sahib who was the founder of Sikhism and the first Sikh Guru. In India, this day may also be called Guru Nanak Gurpurb, Guru Nanak's Prakash Utsav or Guru Nanak Dev Hi Jayanti.

November 9^th – Independence Day – Cambodia

November 9^th – Constitution Day – Nepal

November 11^th – Remembrance/Armistice Day (1918)

November 11^th – National Day- Angola

Important Australian Milestones

October 26^th - Uluru handed back to the Anangu Pitjantjatjara People 1985

November 8^th – First Indigenous High Court Case 1934

Principal’s Reading Awards

Congratulations to the following students from Kindergarten – Year 6 who have been awarded the Principal’s Reading award for 100 nights of home reading.

Principal’s Reading Awards

Congratulations to the following students from Kindergarten – Year 6 who have been awarded the Principal’s Reading award for 200 nights of home reading.

Attendance Matters

Welcome back to the final term of 2025. We are so excited to have everyone working hard to achieve 95% or higher attendance each term. Our awards are greatly appreciated by our students and a celebration of the dedication to their learning. Thank you to all families who diligently keep us informed of absences and intended absences. This helps keep accurate records and knowledge of students at our school at all times.

As this term is the end of the year, attendance awards will reflect the time at school from the beginning of the term to the end of Week 8. This will allow for a clear 95% attendance rate.

If your child is intending to be away for an extensive period of time it is very important that you notify the school through a leave application form. Please complete these as soon as possible and send to the school office.

Remember #Attendance Matters.

Kathy Price – Deputy Principal

PBL

A warm welcome to our readers,

Welcome to Week 2 and to the PBL Team’s first newsletter article for Term 4.

Over the past fortnight, students at Blacktown South Public School have been revising before-school expectations. It has been wonderful to see so many students demonstrating they are Safe, Respectful Learners by waiting in the correct areas and moving to appropriate play spaces when the bell rings. Another recent PBL focus has been the importance of sitting down while eating. We have been very pleased to see students finding suitable playground spaces to eat their recess and lunch. Well done, everyone!

This fortnight, we will continue to focus on sitting while eating and following teacher instructions. To remind us why these expectations matter, we have explored three key questions:

Where are the spaces that we can eat?

Students need to sit and eat in designated spaces around:

• Ball Games Area
• Basketball and Netball Courts
• Quiet Area 1
• The COLA

What a wonderful time to share the space with friends, with the choice of sitting on silver seats and many other spots.

Why is it important to sit while eating?

Sitting while eating is an important safety and wellbeing practice at school. When students remain seated, the risk of choking, spills and accidents is greatly reduced. It also encourages calm, mindful eating so students can finish their food and return to learning and play ready and focused. Keeping students seated during eating times also helps maintain a cleaner, more organised environment for everyone.

Where does our rubbish go after eating?

During PBL lessons, students have taken part in a mystery bin hunt, discovering bins located in all eating spaces across the school. Don’t forget there are many bins around Ball Games, Basketball and Netball court areas, Quiet Area 1 and the COLA. As Safe, Respectful Learners, we have a responsibility to keep our school clean and safe.

Let’s all remember to put our rubbish in the bin after eating — you can do it, Blacktown South!

Year 1

Year 1 have made huge growths since the beginning of the year. The students are engaged in independent and small group activities during the literacy sessions.

The Learning Centres in each class offer fun, interactive opportunities for students to consolidate their literacy skills.

P&C and Uniform Shop

🌟 Welcome Back to Term 4!

We’re excited to be back for another fun and busy term! 🎒

In Week 3 (Friday 31 October) we’ll be celebrating with our Spooky Drink Day 👻🧃—a fun way to get into the Halloween spirit!

We’ll also be recognising World Teachers’ Day on Friday 24^th October. To celebrate, the P&C will be hosting a Morning Tea on Wednesday 22^nd October 🍰☕ as a small token of appreciation for our wonderful teachers and staff.

🎄 Upcoming Events:

Christmas Disco – Thursday 27th November 💃🪩

Get ready to dance the night away at our fun-filled end-of-year celebration!

Christmas Photos – Wednesday 10th December 📸🎅

A perfect keepsake to capture those festive smiles!

Thank you for your ongoing support and generosity 💛

Your P&C Committee

👕 Uniform Shop Update

Our Uniform Shop is fully stocked with both summer and winter uniforms ready for purchase! ☀️❄️

🕘 Opening Hours:

We’re open on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:20am to 10:20am.

Alternatively, you can shop online, and your orders will be distributed on these same days. 💻📦 please use the link below.

👩‍🏫 Kindergarten Orientation:

The Uniform Shop will be open during Kindergarten Orientation. We’ll have sample sizes available to view and order forms ready to complete.

We encourage families to place their orders during the first week of orientation, ready for collection in Week 2. 🎒✨

Thank you for supporting our school community! 💛

Please like our P&C/Uniform shop Facebook page for updates.

Business donations are very much welcome. 

On our P&C website we have added the option "P&C contribution" (link below).

This is optional but it would be a great help if each family of our school could help with a donation. Thank you.

Digital Entertainment Book 

Entertainment Memberships really do help us help each other – you save on the things you love, and we keep supporting our community with the funds raised.

I can’t wait to thank you personally and hear all about your Entertainment adventures!

Click here to purchase:

If you too would like to join our team of volunteers, please contact us at:

pc.bsps@outlook.com.au or Renee on 0415859158

Notes

Please click below for any notes that have gone home in the past that you might have missed:

Community News

At Blacktown South Public School, we support our local community. Click on the links for further information.

School Contacts

Blacktown South Public School
183 Flushcombe Road
Blacktown NSW 2148
Ph: 9622 6034, 9622 2449
Fax: 9831 2379
Email: blacktowns-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Principal: Mr Andrew Bowmer
Deputy Principals: Mrs Kathy Price, Mrs Renee Radecki (Monday to Wednesday) and Mrs Sathiya Segaram (Thursday to Friday)
Assistant Principals - APCI: Miss Raelene Rillera, Ms Amanda Sheaves and Mrs Sathiya Segaram.
Assistant Principals:      Kindergarten           Miss Krystal Evangelou
                                        Year 1                    Miss Matilda Lee
                                        Year 2                    Miss Fiona Pearce
                                        Year 3                     Mrs Hannah Casley
                                        Year 4                    Mrs Amy Charlesworth
                                        Year 5                    Miss Alyce Rogers
                                        Year 6                    Mr Patrick Lee-Eyles
                                        Specialist Teachers Mrs Panayiota Zouriakas

Senior Administration Manager: Mrs Claire Dobbie
School Administration Officers: Mrs Robyn Taylor, Ms Doris Mifsud,
Miss Daphne Manivong, Mrs Melinda Cooper and Ms Tara Shipway

School Counsellor:  Ms Lisa Harvey, Ms Olivia Parrott and Ms Josephine Cali

P&C Association
President:  Renee Tsingolis
Vice President:  Mandi Ashraf
Treasurer: Sarah Noor
Secretary: Hayley Hutchison
Assistant Secretary: Position Vacant
Assistant Treasurer: Position Vacant

Uniform Shop Committee: 
Manager: Hayley Hutchison
Sarah Noor, Melissa Wilson, Effie Browne, Renee Tsingolis and Mandi Ashraf.