19 June 2025

Principal’s Report

Multicultural Public Speaking Competition 

Congratulations to the following students who have been selected to represent our School in the local finals of the Multicultural Speaking Competition.
Year 3/4 Team: Jiya Patel and Pia Yajnik
Years 5/6 Team: Gurfateh Singh and Praket Limaye

P&C Loose Coin Collection 

Just a reminder that the P&C are holding their annual Loose Coin Collect in June to raise money to support and renew the home reader program operating at Blacktown South PS. Please keep sending your loose change or any coins to help us raise lots of money for new books.  

Parent Teacher Interviews

Midyear Parent Teacher Interviews will be offered in the last week of this term on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd July. These interviews will be face-to-face interviews. 

Notes and Times: Notes have been sent home, and the online booking system is available.  

Three-Way Interviews for Year 3-6 

For Year 3-6 Families we are offering the option of a Three-way Interview. Three-way Interviews involve the student in part or all of the interview. It encourages students to take greater ownership of their learning.   

What are Three-Way Interviews?

• Three-Way Interviews are interviews that involve three parties – parents/carers, teacher and student.
• Students have an opportunity to be included in the discussion, to share their insights into their own learning including areas of achievement and areas for improvement.

Are they compulsory?

• Three-Way Interviews are NOT compulsory- they are optional. 
• Parents/carers can choose to include their child or not as part of the interview/discussion process. 

What are the benefits of Three-Way Interviews? 

• Three-Way Interviews support your child to take ownership of their learning.
• Three-Way Interviews also promote transparent communication between teachers, parents/carers and students.  
• We are looking forward to meeting with you during the interview times.

Parking and Gates

The Flushcombe Rd, Benaud St and Joseph St pedestrian gates will be open on interview afternoons and evenings. The Valda St gate will be locked at 4.15pm. There will be no access through this gate after 4.15pm.  

Interpreter Interviews

For families who need interpreter support, these interviews will be held in Week 9, over three afternoons – Monday 23^rd June to Wednesday 25^th June. Our EALD teachers have contacted families and booked in these interview times.  

Shooting Star Assemblies - Monday 30^th June

Shooting Star Assemblies for Year 1 to Year 6 students will be held on Monday 30^th June, the last week of term.  Information to families with a child receiving an award has been sent home this week. Parents and Caregivers are most welcome to attend.  

These assemblies will be videoed and posted on our Facebook site with 48 hours for families to view and share.   

SRC Crazy Sock and Hair Day – Thursday 3^rd July 

The SRC are holding a Crazy Sock & Hair Day on Thursday 3^rd July. We are encouraging students to wear their favourite crazy socks and crazy hair.  

This is an SRC fundraiser, raising money for a great cause. We will collect a gold coin donation for Stewart House- the official Department of Education Charity.  

P&C Colour Fun Run – Fundraiser

Information was sent home this week promoting the big P&C Fundraiser for this year, a Colour Fun Run.  

We are encouraging families to get behind this great event by registering online and collecting sponsorship. Students who raise money will qualify for a great range of prizes. 

The Colour Fun Run is planned to happen as part of Education Week in Term 3, Week 3, on Thursday afternoon, 7th August.  

End of Term 2 and Term 3 Dates 

Friday 4^th July: Last day of Term 2 for students and teachers.  
Saturday 5^th July to Sunday 20^th July: School Holidays 
Monday 21^st July:    Staff Development Day - Staff only attend. 
Tuesday 22^nd July:  Students return to school.

Andrew Bowmer - Principal

Cultural Calendar for June & July

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.  

June 21st - Winter Solstice  
June 23rd - National Day - Luxembourg  
June 25th - National Day - Croatia, National Day- Slovenia, Independence Day- Mozambique
June 26th - National Day - Madagascar 
June 27th - Independence Day - Djibouti  
June 27th - Hijra/Islamic New Year (Muslim) 
June 29th - National Day - Seychelles 
June 30th - Independence Day - Democratic Republic of Congo 
July 1st - National Day- Burundi, Canada Day - Canada, National Day - Somalia 
July 6th - July 13th – NAIDOC Week - Australia 
July 3rd - National Day - Belarus 
July 4th - Independence Day- USA, Liberation Day - Rwanda 
July 5th - Independence Day - Venezuela, Independence Day - Cape Verde 
July 6th - Dalai Lama’s Birthday, National Day – Malawi, National Day - Comoros 
July 7th - National Day- Solomon Islands
July 9th - Independence Day - South Sudan 
July 9th - Martyrdom of the Bab- (Baha’i) at the age of 31, the Bab - whose name means “the gate” - had made his declaration as the forerunner of the Promised One and gathered tens of thousands of followers to the Babi religion. He also sparked fierce opposition. Before a crowd in a public square in Persia (modern-day Iran), the Bab was put to death on this date in 1850. 

Important Australian Milestones 

June 26th - Australia joined the United Nations 1945 
July 17th - UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with a Disability ratified by Australia 2008. 

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.

Attendance Matters

It is getting colder every day and the temptation to stay home is real. Sometimes children express a wish to stay home but we need to encourage them to attend school every single day to establish good routines and habits. Remember we are trying to encourage all students to be at school most of the time. If your child is sick and needs to attend the doctors that is an acceptable reason for an absence. It is important that you keep the school informed at this time. Calling the school office after 8.30am or notifying the school through sZapp (the preferred option) ensures that your child's attendance records are accurate.

If you intend to be away for a period of time travelling overseas or family holiday or event that exceeds 3 days, please complete a leave application form available on the school's website or from the front office. This information is extremely important for student data tracking. If you need to leave unexpectedly, please email the school at your earliest possible convenience to ensure we are aware of your child's care. This is very important and avoids miscommunication. We also ask that you respond to any messages left on your phones regarding your child's absences to help us all stay informed and the attendance data being kept is accurate.

Working together we will make sure that all children build meaningful connections and are successful at school.

#Attendance Matters

PBL

Greetings Readers,

Welcome to Week 8 and the final newsletter article from the PBL Team for Term 2.

Over the past two weeks, we’ve been focusing on expectations for behaviour on the bottom oval, reinforcing what it means to be Safe, Respectful Learners. It has been fantastic to see students from Kindergarten to Year 6 putting these expectations into practice—making positive choices, wearing hats, using play equipment appropriately, playing cooperatively, and staying clear of out-of-bounds areas. We are proud of these PBL champions who are setting a great example for their peers. Well done, everyone!

Focus Area: COLA Zone

For the next two weeks, students at Blacktown South Public School will be learning about and reflecting on what it means to be a Safe, Respectful Learner in the COLA zone.

What students already know about the COLA zone:

• It’s a busy area because it includes the canteen and attracts students from all year levels.
• It contains accessible bins and popular handball courts.
• It’s a go-to spot for students who forget their hats.
• The COLA zone is a walking-only area.

Being safe and respectful in the COLA:

Students have reflected on the importance of safety and respect in this space and have shared the following ideas:

• To stay safe, they understand that running can lead to accidents like bumping into others or tripping, which could cause injury.
• They also know not to go beyond the designated area, as the driveway and gardens can be dangerous.
• To show respect, students are encouraged to:
  •  Keep the space clean by using the bins.
  •  Use their manners at the canteen.
  •  Move through the area calmly and safely to avoid causing harm to others.

Fun in the COLA:

Students enjoy a variety of quiet and active activities in the COLA zone, including:

• Ring toss
• Hula hoops
• Sitting and chatting
• Skipping
• Drawing or reading a book
• Playing handball
• Quiet games

Let’s continue to stay Safe and Respectful at Blacktown South Public School! 

The PBL Team, 2025

RFF and Library

The ringmaster has kept us fit and warm with energetic and strengthening exercises. We've been juggling through the different choreographic techniques and have enjoyed clowning around together.

Strad Upright Piano – Free to a good home

113 years old German Piano good for a beginner player. Has a nice sound and very good mechanisms.

The owner is happy to contribute to the cost of removal for relocation.

Please contact the school if interested.

P&C and Uniform Shop

Our Parent and Community organization is managed by a dedicated team of parent volunteers. Our objective is to engage with the school community and secure funding to enhance school facilities, equipment, and student support.

Term 2 updates 

Term 2 fundraisers and key dates to put in your calendars:

• Colour Fun Run - Our colour fun run fundraising event will be starting on the 23rd of this month up until the colour fun run day which is being held on Thursday 7th August. 
• Loose Change Drive - is still ongoing and will run through until the 27th June.

Students are encouraged to bring in loose change to put in the money box in their classrooms.

The winning class gets a pizza party and the money raised goes towards purchasing home readers and new books for the library.

Results to date: 

Week 1 
1st - 3/4S
2nd - 3M
3rd - 1G

Week 2
1st - 3/4S
2nd - 1G
3rd - 3M

• Crazy Socks Day is scheduled for Thursday, July 3rd. Socks are available for purchase online anytime and at the uniform shop on Monday's and Thursday's. Online purchases will be distributed on uniform shop days.

All proceeds of our fundraising events go towards our fundraising goals.

Should you wish to volunteer your assistance at these events or throughout the year, please contact us. We are always seeking volunteers, and it's an excellent opportunity to build community connections.

Uniform Shop

Our uniform shop's opening hours and days are:

Mondays and Thursdays, from 9:20 am to 10:20 am weekly. 

Winter stock is readily available in all sizes and styles so please come and see us as Winter is just around the corner.

Sport shorts have arrived in all sizes. We are however awaiting delivery on Sport polos - these have a significant delay due to the factory changing locations. We do have a variety in stock but currently no size 8 polos available. Please come and see us and we can help you get the appropriate size. 

We have an abundance of hats available to purchase including Legionares, Caps and microfibre bucket hats. 

We also offer a secondhand rack with prices starting at just $2. We gratefully accept uniform donations, and all proceeds benefit the P&C. Just drop them off to us during shop hours. 

Alternatively you can order online via the link provided, these will be placed in your child's teacher's pigeon hole for distribution. We will endeavour to complete these purchase on Mondays and Thursdays. 

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 

This fundraiser is available to be purchased all year. The digital entertainment book is conveniently available through an app. It is full of savings on entertainment, dining, travel, activities and much more. By purchasing through our link, the P&C receive a percentage of the total, contributing towards our fundraising goals. Please purchase through the link below:

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.