Moving Towards Term 3

We have put many steps in place to ensure that schools are COVID safe for students and staff and these form part of each school’s COVID safe plan. As I have said previously, our school community has done a tremendous job in embracing new routines so that we can ensure that our school is safe, allowing us to remain open for face to face learning to occur. As the Premier has announced the different easing of restrictions, we need to place these in to the context of schools and recognise that each school is unique in size, design and complexity. From the beginning of Term 3 this will include;

• Parents are able to undertake school drop off in the school building but unable to enter any classroom until further notice
• The time that parents are inside the school building before 8:50am should be brief – less than 5 minutes
• Parents will need to wait outside of the school building of an afternoon for end of the day pick up – this is to avoid static groups from gathering inside
• Parents help/volunteering can recommence at school as coordinated by the class teacher
• School excursions will slowly recommence, but groups will need to follow new protocols as they go in to the community
• Grade 3-6 swim programs will re-commence – we are currently scheduled for the Ulverstone Pool with dates to be confirmed
• School and community sport will slowly recommence in line with National guidelines
• Launching in to Learning & Pre-Kinder will re-commence next term with further details in next week’s newsletter

All adults that enter any school building must sign in via the primary or secondary campus office and complete the Visitor Health Screening Form. Understandably, we reserve the right to direct people to leave the building that appear unwell or have cold/flu like symptoms.

School Nursing Vacancy

This week will see advertised vacancies for school heath nurses across the North-West, including Penguin. If you know of an experienced registered nurse, please encourage them to keep an eye on the major newspapers and the government jobs website www.jobs.tas.gov.au

Mystery Solved

A few weeks ago we asked for any information in relation to the centenary time capsule that was buried in 1985. This generated a lot of discussion online and here at school as to the possible whereabouts. Retired school groundsman Kelvin Revell was very kind in providing an account of the unfortunate fate of the capsule. Whilst it was safely buried inside of a concrete pipe, and school staff at the time gave clear instructions about its location in the primary campus turning circle, sadly it was excavated by the contractors and the contents were scattered. Thanks Kelvin and Leanne for undertaking the detective work for us!

“Friday 15th November 1985 two PVC canisters (time capsules) were buried inside a concrete pipe along with 2-3 trees planted,  the location was where the current turning circle is now.  The person/s in charge of the construction of the new primary school advised the primary school that this area would "not" be disturbed during construction of the new school.

However, in the school holidays, earth moving equipment arrived and unbeknownst to the school or advice to anyone (as far as we were aware) they removed a metre deep of soil (where the turning circle now is) as well as the capsules and 2-3 trees placing them on the bank and leaving them to die.  A bit later the capsules were broken up by unknown persons, some of the contents, which were recovered from the broken capsules, could be in the capsule which hangs in the Library now. (or was when I left the school).”

Honouring Our History

Penguin State School, Primary/High and now District School will always be an essential part of the fabric our town. Schools are the place where friendships are formed, memorable moments occur and some of life’s most important milestones take place. From Kinder, the 12-14 years that are spent in a school at such an early time in a child’s development, will be longer than most people will spend in any one workplace or organisation. As we prepare for our move to a consolidated school site over the next 2 ½ years, we want to celebrate the history of education in our town. We have an abundance of photos, stories and artefacts that are well catalogued that we can tap in to. If you would like to contribute to what these celebrations can look like in our new school or have in interest in going through some of our schools’ history, please don’t hesitate to contact Allison Kable at the school office on allison.kable@education.tas.gov.au or 6434 2222.