FROM THE PRINCIPAL:

An end to another school year!

It has been a year of wonderful learning and opportunities at

Riverside Primary and I wish to acknowledge the hard work and

commitment of the staff team at Riverside. We are lucky to have

such a special team from our teachers, teacher assistants, office

staff, school attendants, Chappy and the resource team of Naomi,

Claire and Danielle. A special thank you to senior staff, Annette,

Colin, Lorraine, John and Louisa for your valuable contribution to

the school.

Some classes are still waiting confirmation of teachers or teachers

to be finalised. We have a number of temporary teachers who, at

this stage, cannot be employed at Riverside. We wish Ryan, Carmel

and Amelia all the best and we hope to see them back at Riverside

in the future.

To celebrate the end of Grade 6 we had a celebration dinner on

Tuesday night. It was an enjoyable night. Thank you to Miss

Anglesey for the organisation and to all the staff who attended.

Our Grade 6’s have set a positive and respectful tone in the school.

We look forward to hearing the successes of our Grade 6 group in

the future as they follow our motto of ‘Reach for the Stars’.

Choose a wish, find a dream

pick a wishing star

Let your hopes and spirits

soar high and free and far

Reach for the unreachable

stretch to touch the sky

Know no dream you treasure

is too far away or high

Believe in the impossible

then work and try and do

For only whose who dare to dream

can make a dream come true

To those leaving our school community we wish you all the best.

In conclusion thank you for your support in 2014 and I look forward

to an even more successful 2015.

All the best for a safe and Merry Christmas.

Congratulations

Our choir was fantastic at the Riverlinks Sunday performance.

Riverside was runner up in the Bystander DVD competition.

Riverside received the CSIRO Special Prize at the Science

Talent Search – our award was a subscription to the Helix

magazine.

Well done to Tye Clark who won the school banking ‘Smart

Saver’ competition. The prize is 2 Ipads, one for the school

and one for himself. Congratulations.

Drama Club shared to our early childhood classes. It was

brilliant. Thank you to the students and Carmel.

Jane Bovill

Principal

Riverside Primary School Newsletter

Newsletter – edition/date

Issue 40 18 December 2014

Calendar Thursday 18 December Last day for students

Wednesday 4 February 2015 First day of school 2015

Principal Mrs Jane Bovill Psychologist Ms Claire Goulston

Assistant Principal Mr Colin Pearson (Grades 4-6) Speech Pathologist Ms Danielle Le Rossignol

Assistant Principal Mrs Annette Langdon (Grades 1-3) Social Worker Ms Naomi Gelston

Acting AST Mrs Lorraine Todd (Kinder & Prep) Chaplain Mrs Lindy Bailey

AST – Teaching & Learning Mr John Mason, Mrs Louisa Hooper (Mon, Tues, Wed)

Newsletter – edition/date

2015 Term Dates

Term 1 (Tuesday 3 February Student Free Day)

Wednesday 4 February to Wednesday 1 April

(Thursday 2 April Student Free Day)

Easter Friday 3 April to Tuesday 7 April

Term 2 Monday 20 April to Friday 3 July

Term 3 (Monday 20 July Student Free Day)

Tuesday 21 July to Friday 25 September

Term 4 Monday 12 October to Thursday 17 December

(Friday 23 October Student Free Day)

2014 Riverside Primary School Drama Club

The Riverside Primary School Drama Club have worked

incredibly hard throughout Term 3 and 4. On Monday

afternoon they hosted a Christmas performance for some of

our early childhood classes. It was a fantastic celebration of

all their work this term.

Congratulations and well done to all of the students involved

in the Drama Club this year!

Thank you

A great big thank you to all families who were able to come

along to the Christmas Carol Choir Celebration and

Performance at Riverlinks on Sunday. With nearly 50

students in the choir and 250 family members in attendance

it was a wonderful opportunity to hear all the hard work the

choir has been putting in. The choir sounded beautiful and

made us all very proud. After the singing was complete we

enjoyed a lovely family sausage sizzle and nibblies thanks to

the wonderful support of the Riverlinks Church family. This

was a beautiful community event and it was a pleasure to be

a part of it. Thanks to Jane and all the staff who came along

to support the children who have participated through the

year.

Student Assistance Scheme (STAS) 2015

STAS application forms are available from the school office for

families who have not applied for STAS before. Families who

have been in receipt of STAS previously have been sent letters

directly from the Department regarding STAS 2015 approval or

non-approval. Completed application forms can be returned to

the Department by post, fax or scanned and emailed to

stas@education.tas.gov.au

Kinder and Prep Parents

Wanted – Loose Parts for Play Areas

We are collecting some loose parts for our Kindergarten and

Prep play areas in 2015. If you find any of the following items -

in good condition - at home that you no longer need could you

set them aside and bring them to Lorraine Todd’s office (next to

the Prep classrooms) or Elizabeth Hawley’s Kindergarten room

when school returns in 2015.

We are looking for…..

Pots, pans, cooking trays

Metal spoons, ladles

Ice try containers

Any plastic or Tupperware items

Dress-up clothes

Sheets, blankets

Cars, trucks, car mats

Small plumbing pipes, hoses

Sand toys, buckets, spades

Gardening tools

Thank you

UPDATE ON GOVERNMENT CUTS TO EDUCATION

TASSO (Tasmanian Association of State School Organisation) is

a body which represents ALL parents/care givers of the 55,000

Tasmanian state school children. This group is very active in their

commitment to coerce the Government & the AEU (Aust

Education Union) to resume discussions and to find a way to

mitigate the current threat to our children’s educational

standards. Unfortunately there was very disappointing

attendance at their Northern meeting last week – which was

open to all parents of state school children (as advertised in our

newsletter). At this meeting the present and on-going impacts

of these cuts were discussed, as well as the best way forward. In

the last few weeks we have seen the biggest withdrawal

of resources from public schools in 25 years.

TASSO is urging ALL parents across the state to have a voice and

join the fight against these cuts – contact your local MP, sign a

petition, attend TASSO meetings. Unfortunately the timing for

these cuts couldn’t be worse – however the fight will continue

over the summer break. A good place to keep updated is the

TASSO facebook page.

Natalie Kidd—RPSA Chairperson

natanddarrenkidd@bigpond.com

RPSA NEWS (Riverside Primary School Association Inc)

TASMANIAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE SCHOOL

ORGANISATIONS INC

As we head into the final days of the school year I just wanted

to say thanks and share some information. At the time of writing

this the call by TASSO for negotiation to resolve the current

situation that does not put EDUCATION AND CHILDREN

first remains unresolved. TASSO continues to push for a

meeting of Government and Union to begin to redress the

threat to our schools and students the affects of which will be

far reaching in many many ways.

I would like to thank all parents and supporters of public

education who have been assisting in many ways. The three

meetings held by TASSO last week while we realise not ideal in

timing (clashing with many end of year activities) gave a voice to

parents.

The implications of the staffing cutbacks are diverse and

disturbing. Schools making very difficult decisions in response

to losing an average of 1.8 staff will, except in the quarantined

schools, have far reaching impact on not only classes and

education programmes but perhaps more vitally morale and

relationships. The net result: our kids will begin 2015 in a worse

situation than they ended 2014. This is not acceptable and we

demand the Government and AEU put aside the past and look

for a way to solve this serious situation.

As schools move through the next few days the impact in their

school will take on a new reality as teachers and support staff

are farewelled the cuts will take on a greater sense of reality

and sadness, frustration and anger. We are already getting some

of those messages from schools where the announcements have

been made. I would ask parents and carers to support Principals

and staff at this time and direct their frustrations at the only

people who have any power to change this situation the

Government and the AEU. Continue to lobby in all forms all

members of Parliament and the AEU. The future of our kids

must not be put at risk.

TASSO is holding a meeting with volunteers in the South on

Tuesday to discuss where to from here. If you would like to join

the meeting please contact the office for final details. There will

be a meeting in the North mid January. Both these times came

as decisions from the meetings.

I ask you share this letter with your school community. There

has been media that there is a ban on sending out information

with newsletters. TASSO has found this not to be the case by

DoE and relates to a small number of Southern Schools.

Tasmanian Association State School Organisations Facebook

page has details of the rules if you want to check.

Thank you once again for your commitment to your school and

students. Please contact the office on 6234 9488 if we can

provide more information and assistance. I am happy to take

calls as well.

Please take a moment to sign this petition

https://www.change.org/p/will-hodgman-find-a-solution-to-the-

tasmanian-government-s-problems-without-cutting-schools-

and-

education?recruiter=195170191&utm_source=share_petition

&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=share_email_responsive

Kind regards

Jen Eddington 0427 002 211

R i v e r s i de Pr imar y S choo l

PO Box 205 R IVERS IDE Ta s man i a 7250

Phone (03 ) 6327 3731 F ax (03 ) 6327 1858

Email: riverside.primary@education.tas.gov.au

Website: www.schools.education.tas.gov.au/riversideprimary

Book Sales Day and Uniform Shop 2015

The school office will re-open for 2015 on Thursday 29 January.

Stationery kits will be issued and levies collected on:

Thursday 29 January 2015

12 noon – 6.00pm

Friday 30 January 2015

8.00am – 1.00pm

New and used uniforms will also be on sale at the same time.

Payment for uniform is by cash or cheque only.

Please note, the uniform shop will be closed Thursday 5 February

2015.

Levies will be as follows (this is a once only payment for the year,

covering costs including stationery, local excursions and

performances).

Yearly Levy

Kinder $165.00

Prep $230.00

Grade 1 and 2 $240.00

Grade 3 and 4 $260.00

Grade 5 $285.00

Grade 6 $270.00

Invoices will be posted late January 2015. Levies can be paid by

BPAY or at Service Tasmania, payment options are shown on the

back of your invoice.

PLEASE NOTE: If you use either BPAY or Service Tasmania

option, the receipt will be required to be shown on book sales

day in order to collect your stationery kit.

Aussie of the Month – James Simpson

James Simpson has been described by his peers as someone who

is caring when you get hurt and nice to everyone. He shows

good sportsmanship and is always smiling, laughing and making

jokes. He is kind and helpful. He is great with supporting and

helping others. He always does his work and is a good friend.

He gets along with people and can tell when someone needs

extra help. He includes everyone in his games. He helps you

when you’re sad. If someone has nothing to do or no-one to

hang out with James will hang out with you. Mrs D said he takes

very good care of his teachers as well. So well done James

Simpson for making our school a great place to be.

Special nominations: Montana Viney, Caitlin Mackey,

Sam Stedman, Tenille Bradford, Rahni Pascoe and

Daniel Adams. Other students nominated: Zali Price, Jarrah

Smith, Lilliana Bell, Adam Hoggett, Chloe Weaving, Ruby

Corbett, Dakota Thynne and Allyera Barron.

Chappy’s Christmas

Lunch Group

What fun we had getting into

the Christmas Story this year.

As you can see from the

photos we found all the main

characters including baby Jesus

and the Star, Mary and Joseph

and of course the camels,

angels, wise men, shepherds,

donkeys and lambs. We learnt

how to say Merry Christmas in

18 different languages and

created some beautiful

decorations. We ‘chewed’

over the Christmas story and

all the ways we like to

celebrate Christmas with our

families. Thanks to Chappy’s

marvellous helpers Jenny, Ian

and Anne.