The hot weather is here and with it long nights and early morning sun. Please make sure your little ones are dressed for the weather and have enough food and water to last them through the day! On that note, if you are requiring any uniform items at any time you can fill in an order form at the Front Office - your order will be filled and an SMS message will alert you as to when your items are ready to be picked up! (And a reminder to those who have ordered, your items may be waiting for you even now...)
A reminder that Blackheath Pool is now open, so consider making an after school swim a part of your Spring and Summer routine. While the price of admission might draw poor comparison to the free entry that existed when I was a kid (a dip in the Black Pool anyone?) I do hope to see more of you there! Any excuse to get active bodies exercising, practising water safety and enjoying the company of peers. Also, make sure to bring a shade of some kind, or pleasantly complain to staff about the removal of much needed umbrellas by Blue Mountain City Council for “safety reasons”. As you bake in the heat. Good times.
Speaking of heat, as Summer approaches the ever present danger of bushfire in our local area is apparent. Please be sure to have an adequate emergency plan, and have your information updated with the School, and have your various contact mechanisms in place -
* in the event of a fire or bushfire emergency before school, information will be uploaded to the Skoolbag app, the BPS Facebook page and the P+C Facebook page.
* in the event of a fire or bushfire emergency during school where the school has been alerted by the SES, the school follows the Snow and Bushfire policy found on the BPS website (check the Rules and Policies page linked in the “About our School” tab in the drop down menu on the left hand side of the page - https://blackheath-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/b/blackheathp/localcontent/2019/Snow_and _Bushfire_Emergency_Procedure_24_October_2019.pdf)
Consider also joining or becoming a facilitator for your local HUFF (Heads up for Fire) group (http://www.huff.org.au or email at: info@huff.org.au) or joining your local RFS branch.
Also be aware of your child/rens response and behaviour during this, at times, stressful period, and contact the school if you need further resources for any issues related to mental health.
I know that this column often devolves into a constant reminder to offer your valuable time to join the P+C or volunteer in the Canteen, or now the RFS etc - for that I unreservedly do not apologise. As the impacts of natural disasters and pandemics increase it is imperative that communities increase their resilience by banding together - supporting one another. There is no future without community - our children learn from their parents and are the future of that community. Show them that the community needs them and vice versa.
Morgan Boehringer President Blackheath Public School P+C
Reminder: If you have any recommendations or questions about the functions of the school, please contact the school, or join in on our next P+C meeting, conveniently held via Zoom on Monday, 30th November, 2020, at 6.30pm. Send us an email at: blackheathpublicschool@pandcaffiliate.org.au