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Welcome back to 2025! We hope everyone has had a lovely summer holiday and had plenty of opportunities to enjoy the beautIful outdoor environment.
Back to school (or BTS as we Back to School Nerds call it) is a busy time, full of forms and information, book covering, and updating personal details. This edition of our newsletter is your one stop spot for all of our BTS information in readiness for our Book Collection days next week.
So, please excuse us as we invade your holiday serenity and strap yourself in, get out your contact and book labels and read on for all of your 2025 BTS information!
BOOK PACKS
Book packs can be collected from the PAC on:
- Tuesday 28 January 8.30am - 3.00pm
- Wednesday 29 January 8.30am - 3.00pm
If you are unable to collect your books at these times, please contact us to make other arrangements.
Levy payments are not expected on the day. Families will be invoiced later in Feburary.
UNIFORM FITTINGS AND SALES - 29 January
The team from Lowes - our contracted uniform sellers will be on site on Wednesday 29 January from 8.30am - 2.30pm for uniform fittings and sales.
Did you know that correctly fitted uniforms last longer. The correct size and fit uniform allows for growth throughout the year, and the expert fitters from Lowes will be happy to help you out.
Kinder students and new student enrollments will also be fitted for their puffer jackets, which are provided free of chage by the St Marys District School Association, with funds raised at the St Marys Op Shop.
All new enrolments will also receive hats supported by the St Marys District School Association.
If you prefer to shop online: St Marys District School - St Marys | Lowes Menswear Australia // Lowes
Or visit, or ring their Glenorchy Store :
Please allow time when collecting book packs to complete Student Information Validation forms. Validation forms need to be updated every 12 months.
It is important that you nominate at least two emergency contacts, in addition to enrolling parents, who are available and capable of acting in your place in case of an illness or an emergency.
The form updates important things such as:
- your child's medical conditions, who to contact in an emergency or a school closure
- photo permissions and permissions for local excursions
- who can pick your child up if they are injured or fall ill when you are at work or out of town
- where to send reports and other correspondence
- how to contact you via email, SMS etc.
The validation process also helps us complete emergency evacuation lists in case of flooding or fire, compile our bus lists so we know who goes where after school, who to call to pass on good news or congratulations, where to send Values cards plus a whole lot more.
To ensure accuracy of information, emergency contact details for students are removed each year. Please ensure you have the details of your emergency contacts with you on the day.
AQUATICS FORMS:
Many students will begin participating in aquatics in the school pool for HPE from the beginning of term 1, and participating in aquatics carnivals, excursions and activities during the year.
Aquatics forms allows you to advise us of your child's swimming capabilities in a number of environments and support our staff in making decisions around planning aquatic activities at school and on excursions.
Please complete and sign the aquatics form in your child's information pack. They will be unable to participate in any aquatics activities until this has been returned.
Why do we ask parents about their education and employment?
The collection of education and employment details for parents of enrolled students assists with the funding of our school. The more accurate the data, the fairer funding we receive. All information is treated with the strictest confidence.
Your assistance with completing these forms on book days will ensure that our student information is up to date when they return to school on Thursday 6 February.
Our staff will be available to assist you with the completion of paperwork.
Are you eagerly planning book coverings?
Please see below for copies of booklists for all grades, to assist you with your book covering needs.
All books and pens etc are included in your 2025 Composite Levy, so there is no need for you to to join the back to school rush in the stores.
If your child has a medical condition, it is important that we have all relevant information. This includes 2025 Authorisation for Administration of Student Medication forms, Medical Action Plans and/or Student Medical Condition Plans before the start of the school year.
A Medical Action Plan must be completed if the student is known to be at risk of a medical incident due to a diagnosed medical condition. Medical Action Plans for common medical conditions can be found by accessing the peak body website for that condition.
A Student Medical Condition Plan sets out the adjustments that are needed in the school that assists with the day-to-day health and learning needs of the student as it relates to their medical condition. This Plan does not need to be completed if the student has a Medical Action Plan for a specific diagnosis (e.g. asthma, anaphylaxis, diabetes, or epilepsy).
Authorisation for Administration of Student Medication forms need to be filled out for both prescription and non-prescription medications your child needs to take at school. You can find blank forms attached below or request them from the school office. Form A is for non-prescription medicine and can be filled in by a parent. Form B is for prescription medicine and needs a GP or pharmacist input. Students needing short-term medication like antibiotics or Panadol must submit these forms before staff can administer them.
If your child usually takes their medication at home, but will be bringing it on an overnight excursion, the Authorisation for Administration of Student Medication form must be completed as part of your excursion paperwork
All medical forms must be updated yearly (or in-line with peak body recommendations) and signed by the child’s healthcare provider. If the current forms are less than two years old, a letter from your GP can confirm their validity.
Forms:
- General Medical Management Plan
- Authorisation for Administration of Student Medication Form
- Epilepsy Medical Action Plan
- Allergy Medical Action Plan
- Diabetes Medical Action Plan
- Asthma Medical Action Plan
If staff have concerns about the safety and wellbeing of a student they must follow standard emergency response processes, which may include calling 000. Staff are required to follow the directions of Ambulance Tasmania.
For more information please contact the school administration office 63723900.
Welcome to our Grade 7 Students!
To kick the year off, Grade 7 will be attending a camp at Mount Cameron Field Study Centre from Wednesday 12 - Friday 14 February 2025.
A camp notice and Consent and Medical Form will be provided in Grade 7 Validation Packs for parents to complete. We encourage you to complete these forms at school and return them to the admin team before collecting your book packs.
Alternatively, the notice and Consent and Medical Form can be downloaded and completed by following this link:
Christmas, School Holidays, School fees and Uniforms .... it is an expensive time of year for everyone. To support families, we will not be issuing Levy Invoices until after students start the school year (that's Feb 6 2025 for those who are interested). Once you receive your invoice, there are a variety of payment plans and options available.
How do I pay levies and charges?
Levies can be paid:
- At the school (by EFTPOS, cash or cheque)
- At Service Tasmania (by EFTPOS, cash or cheque)
- Through BPAY (using the Biller Code and Reference on your invoice)
- By mail, forward your cheque, money order or credit card details to the school, with the payment slip from your invoice attached (payable to the Department of Education)
- Using Centrepay, a service provided by Centrelink.
You can choose to pay your levies by instalment by contacting the school to set up a payment plan of regular instalments. Payment plans can continue through to the end of the school year.
If you wish to confidentially discuss a payment plan that suits you, please make an appointment to see our School Business Managers, Mrs Lisa Bean or Miss Janine Burt.
For more information about 2025 Levies and charges, please see the information links below:
Student Assistance Scheme (STAS)
Have your financial circumstances changed recently? Please take the time to look into the Department of Education, Tasmania's Student Assistance Scheme. If you have any questions, or need confidential assistance completing the paperwork, please contact the School Administration office on 0363723900. Parents who have a current concession card as listed below can apply for dependent students for assistance under the STAS:
- Services Australia – Centrelink Health Care Card
- Service Australia – Centrelink Low Income Health Care Card
- Services Australia – Pensioner Concession Card or
- Department of Veteran Affairs – Pensioner Concession Card.
Note: Parents/guardians must have a concession card. STAS does not apply to a student’s concession card.
Please note that if you are already receiving student assistance you do not need to complete a form.
An on-line form has been developed to assist with processing applications for new applicants.
The online form can be completed here: https://stasonlinesubmission.education.tas.gov.au/
Once a validated form is completed the Department of Education will confirm the outcome of your application in writing, this process takes approximately 14 days.
We understand this online option may not be possible for all families, so if you require a hard copy form please contact our Administration office 0363723900, or stas@education.tas.gov.au or 1800 827 055.
For more information about the Student Assistance Scheme, visit : Financial assistance for school costs - Department for Education, Children and Young People
Please take the time to refresh your family's road safety skills with this information from the Metro Tasmania website.
Over one third of Tasmanian school aged children travel to and from school on a bus. Everyone has an important role in making bus travel safe, and so Metro has joined with the Department of State Growth, the Tasmanian Bus Association and the Road Safety Advisory Council to develop the Smart Stop initiative.
The Smart Stop initiative means working together to encourage children to:
STOP – LOOK – LISTEN – THINK
- Stop back from the kerb
- Look right, look left, then look right again.
- Listen for vehicles approaching
- Think where or not it is safe to cross.
Here are some more great road safety tips and advice:
- Slow down when nearing school buses and bus stops – it’s the law. A driver must not exceed 40 km/h within 50 metres of a bus displaying a school bus warning sign and/or warning light.
- We encourage you to supervise and hold your child’s hand when crossing the road or in car parks until your child reaches the age of 10.
- Remind children when disembarking the school bus to wait until the bus has departed before crossing the road, and not to ever enter the danger zone, located directly in front or behind the bus.
- Peer pressure from other children can put your child at risk, so make sure to tell your child not to be persuaded into unsafe behaviour around roads or vehicles.
- Research has found that a child is unable to gauge the speed or direction of a vehicle until the age of 12.
NOTICEBOARD