General Information
A more comprehensive guide is available to be downloaded as the Parent Information Booklet 2007
School Hours
| Start of school | 9.05 am | ||
| Recess | 11.10 am | to | 11.30 am |
| Lunch | 1.00 pm | to | 1.50 pm |
| End of school | 3.05 pm |
Absences - including Late Arrival and Early Departure
When your child is absent from school for entire day/s, please send a note of explanation to the class teacher when your child returns to school. The note should indicate the specific reason for the absence as this is required for Departmental record. The school would also appreciate being notified if your child is to have a prolonged absence from school.
Should a student need to leave school during school hours, the adult collecting the student is required to sign the student out. The Sign-out-Book is kept in the Office. This is also necessary if the student is sent home sick. Similarly, children arriving late to school (after 9.15am) must also be signed in at the office.
Should there appear to be an attendance problem, the Home-School Liaison Officer will discuss the problem with the parents concerned.
TopBuses and Bus Passes
Pearce Bus is our local bus company.- All students K - 2 are eligible for bus passes irrespective of distance.
- Years 3 to 6 students generally must reside 2.3km from the school by the nearest practical walking route (1.6km radius from the school).
Morning Buses:
Bus No: 529 transports students over the railway line and across the highway to school
Bus No: 3 transports students from St John's Rd to school.
Afternoon Buses:
Bus No: 3 transports students over the railway line to Blaxland.
Bus No: 447 transports students to St John's Rd.
Before and After School Care
Before and After School Care for Blaxland Public School is run by the Blaxland OSHC, organised by YMCA of Sydney Outside School Hours Care (OSHC). They transport students from their centre at Mt Riverview Public School morning and afternoon. This can be arranged on a casual or permanent basis. Please contact them directly on 4739 8092.Canteen
Our school operates a canteen on Monday and Friday. Parents can assist by volunteering. For more details check out the Canteen Page.Excursions and Payments
All payments to the school must be given to the office.Please place payments into an envelope with your child's name, the amount and excursion displayed on the front. Hand the envelope in at the office. A receipt is given to your child later.
Health and Medication
It is probable that at some time during your child's school career he/she will contact one of the common diseases of childhood listed below. If your child does contact one of these diseases, please notify your child's class teacher.- Measles - Patient is excluded from school for four days after appearance of rash. Contacts are not excluded.
- German Measles - Patient is excluded from school until child has fully recovered, or for at least four days after the rash appears. Contacts are not excluded.
- Mumps - Patient is excluded from school for at least nine days after the appearance of the swelling. Contacts are not excluded.
- Chicken Pox - Patient is excluded from school for at least five days after the first spots appear, or when blisters have all crusted. Contacts are not excluded.
- Whooping Cough - Patient is excluded from school for 14 days from the start of illness, or until they have had five days of a ten day course of antibiotics. Contacts are not excluded.
- Ringworm - Patient is excluded until appropriate treatment has commenced. Contacts are not excluded.
- Conjunctivitis - Patient is excluded until discharge from eyes has stopped. Contacts are not excluded.
- Impetigo (Septic Sores) - If sores are being treated and are properly covered by a clean dressing children are allowed to attend school. Contacts are not excluded.
- Pediculosis (Hair Lice) - Students not excluded but hair should be treated with appropriate solution from pharmacist. Everyone living in the same house should be treated at the same time you are treating the affected person. Notify the school.
Medication at School
If possible, it is easier for parents to dispense medicines at home. Prescribed medicine can be given at school, but requires a parent to complete a brief permission form. The medicine must be clearly labelled with the child's name and dosage amount. All medication is kept in a safe place and dispensed by senior school staff.Lost Property
Would you please ensure that every piece of your child's clothing is clearly tagged and labelled with your child's name.
It is also advisable that lunch containers, drink bottles and other personal items brought to school are also labelled.Lost property is kept in a plastic crate, marked 'Lost Property' on the veranda outside Room 4.
School Counsellor
The School Counsellor; Mr Greg Mathieson is available to assist with assessing student needs and counselling students having difficulties. All Department of Education and Training Counsellors are registered child psychologists. A parent or student may request an interview with the Mr Greg Mathieson. Teachers can also refer students. Students wishing to see the counsellor can only do so with written parent permission.
School Requisites
Pencils, pens, rulers and erasers
We recommend students in Years 3 to 6 purchase pencils, pens and rulers they feel comfortable using.
Felt tip pens are not recommended as they tend to 'bleed' through the pages of the
students' books use making legibility of reverse pages difficult.
Students in Kindergarten and Year 1 do not require pencils, pens, rulers or erasers. Often Kindergarten students use tri shaped pencils in order to encourage comfortable pencil grip, hand and arm movements. The school will purchase these for students.
Year 2 students may bring their own pencils.
Coloured Pencils, Textas etc
Students in Year 2 often prefer their own set of coloured pencils.
Students in Years 3 to 6 require their own set of coloured pencils.
Textas are generally not needed but much loved by students !
Book Covers
Pupils are supplied with covers on which they mark their name, class and subject. The book can then be covered in clear plastic or contact if required.
Textbooks
Textbooks are required for Literacy and Numeracy. The required texts are supplied
by NES Books.
Texts are made available for purchase in the school hall during Week 1 and Week 2 of first term.
Support for Learning
Successful programs operate to assist students needing further support in literacy and numeracy. The individual programs are designed by the class teacher and the teacher for learning assistance; Mrs Paula O'Brien, who also monitors and reports on student achievements. Parent tutors are a critical support for students working on individualised class programs. If you would like to support a student in a learning program please contact Debbie in the office and Mrs O'Brien will return your call on a Monday or a Friday.