Our staff work tirelessly to ensure the very best opportunities for our students throughout the year as being a student at Launceston Big Picture School isn’t just about the learning that takes place in our classrooms every day. We aim to provide the most varied and engaging opportunities we can for all our students. We do this through a variety of ways, not the least being the many and varied experiences we offer our students. On a daily basis I see our young people working on their inquiry projects in places like our kitchen, workshop or art pod. Our Learning Through Internship program also provides enormous variety and authenticity with regard to real world learning.

Recently I have been fortunate to sit in on a number of student exhibitions. The quality of these student lead presentations always continues to amaze me! To see “first hand” our young people enthusiastically and passionately engaged in the learning process is a true strength of the Big Picture Learning Design. Answering questions from panel members, being able to further elaborate on particularly aspects of projects and sharing authentic links between their learning at school and through Internship opportunities were common elements of all exhibitions.

In addition to exhibitions, all year 9 and 10 students will receive formal mid-year reports at the end of term. As always, if you would like to discuss anything regarding your child’s report please email your child’s advisory teacher.

As a staff we are continually looking to improve and further develop our own professional skills. Very much like the learning plans that our young people complete, all our staff participate in coaching sessions and have Performance and Development Plans (PDP). These plans explicitly “name up” some goals that each person aims to achieve throughout 2021. More importantly staff PDP’s include strategies that will enable goals to be achieved.

I would like to recognise the work of our very own, Tanya Ringuet. Together with colleagues from across Australia and academics from Melbourne University, Tanya has been developing and refining the International Big Picture Learning Credential- a new and innovative approach to assessment. Thank you to those families who were able to attend our recent information on this exciting new piece of work.

Artist In Residence Program

We are super excited to have secured the opportunity to be a host school for the popular ”artist in residence program”. Josh Foley is a professional artist and is now working from our art pod every Friday (and some negotiated days) over the following months.

 He will be setting up a studio space in the pod and be working on several projects whilst here. Josh will be conducting workshops/artist talks and is also angling to do a mural piece to leave as his legacy to our school. Please click on the link below to access more information about Josh- our school is very fortunate!!

Outlearning Opportunities

We are very lucky to have a fantastic Learning Through Internship coordinators- Mel Van Asperen! Mel has been working hard to ensure that our students are aware of the many and varied learning opportunities that exist beyond our school building. Many students now have a Learning Through Internship (LTI) placement organised and established ready to go for term 3. Please remember that, participating in an LTI is a key part of our learning design. Those students who do not have a placement, are strongly encouraged to seek an opportunity as a matter of urgency.

New Reception Redevelopment

Our new downstairs reception area is completed and to say that Jennifer and Claire are excited is an understatement! When you enter our school, our new reception area will be “front and centre” to visitors and importantly, provide a sound-proof area for our administration team to work in.

Reading

Reading is one of the Big Commitments in the Big Picture Learning design and a key priority in our School Improvement Plan. We are continually looking for ways of enhancing not only the reading abilities of our students but also the amount of reading our students engage with. Reading material can be wide and varied- hard copy books, online, magazines etc. Please continue to encourage your child to regularly engage with reading.

Student Free Day- 1st day of term 3 (Monday 19^th July)

Monday the 19^th of July is a student free day for all students (9-12). Our staff will be participating in professional learning sessions throughout the day. We will be scanning, assessing and looking for ways we can improve aspects of our work, including how we provide feedback to our families and young people and how we best build student engagement within projects.

Our Newsletter

Thank you to those people who have signed up to receive an electronic copy of our newsletter! I certainly hope that you enjoy reading it! If you haven’t subscribed please use the link below to do so:

If are involved in a community organisation and would like to advertise in our newsletter, please contact our office. Where possible, we will be happy to assist.

Adrian Dean
Principal

Term 2 has proven to be an exciting time for Internship placements.  I’ve had the privilege of supporting students in making their initial phone calls many of which have resulted in Informational Interviews. Meeting business mentors who share their career passions with our young people has been a highlight.  A majority of students have participated in Shadow Days which in many cases has resulted in Internship placements with students completing some great LTI projects.

Every Tuesday year 10 student Aerawyn is at Ishka which is a retail store specialising in clothes, furniture, jewellery and other items sourced from all over the world.  Aerawyn has been at Ishka for most of term 2 and has gained new skills in stock handling and store merchandising.  This photo is an example of Aerawyn’s new display of merchandised which she designed.

Term 3 will be productive as students begin to explore new Internship interests and placements, I look forward to learning more about a range of industries and assisting our young people.

Thank you to many businesses in Launceston and our surrounding towns who support our Internship program.

Informational Interview with Tas City Building

On the 11th of June 2021, I went on an Informational Interview to Tas City Building and managed to secure an LTI for Term 3, starting on Tuesday of the second week back.

I met with four people, but mainly spoke to Steve, the owner, and Matt who will be taking me out during my Shadow Days and LTI.

I asked a few questions about what Steve did to get to where he was. We also discussed about what I’d be doing while there, which includes going with Matt to the construction sites.

I am looking forward to this experience, and to sharing updates with the LBPS community as my LTI goes on.

Connor Harvey
9A Advisory

Informational Interview with Hazell Bros Group

Josie 9B Advisory, and Indy, 10B Advisory, attended Hazell Bros Group for an Informational Interview. 

Josie is looking at a career in becoming a diesel mechanic and recently met 1^st year apprentice Mikayla,  who talked about her pathway into the industry, studying and working. 

In term 3 Josie will be on a 5 day Internship placement where she will learn aspects associated with being a disel mechanic.

We want your help for our Learning Through Internship Program!

If you are a local business and have opportunities for students to engage in your industry during these uncertain times,  please contact Mel at melanie.van.asperen@education.tas.gov.au

Mel Van Asperen
LTI Co-ordinator

Abbey’s Interesting Animal facts: Kiwi Birds

Did you know that the kiwi species are fast disappearing due to the excessive destruction of the forest; however, on the positive side nationals parks have taken responsibility to look after the rare bird.

Only 5% of the total kiwi population is believed to reach adulthood. They are easily attacked.

In 1906, kiwi became the emblem of New Zealand when the famous shoe polish company was also named after this little bird in Melbourne.

The weight of the egg is about ¼ of the size of the female or a

bout six times of the chicken’s egg. The color of egg is greenish-white.

Abbey Waugh-Lucus
10B Advisory

Restoring Bikes

I am extremely passionate and interested in restoring bikes. Every week I enjoy having the opportunity to work and learn alongside my mentor, Bob Blackman. We regular repair and restore a range of bikes as part of our school’s Bob’s Bikes Program. This term we had a very old and rundown children’s bike donated to our school. Bob was going to throw it out as he thought that it was beyond repair. I asked him if I could have the challenge of restoring it. Throughout the term I spent hours on it and I was very proud that come my end of term exhibition, I was able to show my finished project. The photos below show the bike when I first got it, right through to the finished product. I am very proud of the end result and so was Bob!!

William Hamill
10B Advisory

Town Hall Performance

Hi, my name is Aerawyn and I am a grade 10 student at Launceston Big Picture School. I recently performed “You Mean The World To Me" by Freya Ridings” at our schools Town Hall. I performed this song with Nick Hill, Grade 11 Advisor - who was playing guitar in the video. Nick and I chose this song because we both knew her songs and loved them.

Aerawyn Height
10B Advisory

Similarities & Differences between Western Absolutism & Eastern Absolutism, as developed by Louis XIV, in France, and Peter the Great, in Russia - An Essay by Chloe Hawkins 

Absolutism began in France with the Rule of Louis XIV in the late 16^th century. Legal theorist Jean Bodin had lived through the religion wars and wrote that he believed the monarchs had less power than they should, making them less of a ruler and more of a stern overseer. Whilst around a century later Thomas Hobbes arose as a leading theorist in absolutism. To many, absolutism was viewed as the only way for a king to rule while maintaining control over their citizens. He ruled with a heavy hand with his word as law, and his word came directly from God.

In the East, Peter the Tsar of Russia assumed rule after the death of the first Tsar, Ivan. Peter enjoyed his military victories, and after a tour of Western Europe, declared a territorial war on Sweden which he subsequently won. During this war time, Peter also built St Petersburg, reconfigured the government along with other noteworthy actions including the implementation of the Spiritual Regulation of 1721 and abolishing the patriarchate. Peter’s reign brought into question the amount a ruler’s subjects should be expected to suffer in order to satisfy the monarch’s demands. In France the monarch understood their subject’s need for tradition and religion while still maintaining complete control, Russian Tsar disregarded this and began rapid change with little regard to the people’s wants.

Peter saw Russia as ‘backward’ when compared to the West and sought to correct this. He viewed Russia’s reluctance to leap forwards as requiring correction with a heavy hand. “Even though something is good and necessary, if it is new our people will not do it unless they are forced to…” (p. 185). Under Peter’s rule the serfdom, which had been made law quite recently, was intensified, (the peasants finding life more burdensome, as were the nobles).

Peter reduced the number of priests and restricted entry into the monasteries, also adding to the workload of the clergy. As a man who firmly believed in science and maths, Peter accepted the Church as responsible for the saving and damnation of men’s souls but would not allow the Church to rule their lives. He disregarded many religious ‘rules’ and in return traditional religious followers despised him. Frustrated with his subject’s lack of understanding, in retaliation Peter issued more decrees.  

The inclusion of God’s power in Western absolutism led to an opinion that it was more successful than their Eastern counterparts. Along with their acknowledgment of God’s word, the Western rulers similarly recognized that despite a key component of absolutism, that the monarch’s word is the law, they understood that there were limits to this when faced with reason and traditions. The Western monarchs also recognised the importance of consulting with those considered to be representatives of certain institutions such as the Church and others of nobility creating Parliaments. While in Russia Peter pushed for change with little regard for his people’s desires; Louis XIV recognised that the traditions and laws already in place worked well for his subjects and chose not to change them, at least not in the large leaps taken by Peter.

All absolute states are characterised by being strong, ambitious, and dynastic, adding to their dynasty through various means, this was consistent for both France and Russia. The nobilities would accept the monarch’s authority in exchange for a guarantee of their status and privilege over the peasantries, whether or not the peasants were legally free, as they were in Western Europe, or Serfs like in Russia.

In France “Kings were divinely anointed and shared in the sacred nature of divinity, but they could not simply do as they pleased. They had to obey God’s laws and rule for the good of the people.” (p. 168). Whereas in Russia, Peter demonstrated a lack of respect for God, which was unforgivable in many of his subjects’ eyes. “… Peter was happy for the Church to take responsibility for the saving of men’s souls, but not to rule their lives.” (p. 186). Peter’s believed Russia should be more like its Western neighbours, saw him change traditions the Russian people held dear, therefore creating dissent between the monarch and the subjects.

In summary, whilst both Louis XIV and Peter were absolutist rulers who adopted approaches that assured the monarch’s word was law; the two key differences between East and Western absolutism were Louis XIV’s deference to God while Peter placed science higher. Louis’ XIV respect for traditions maintained by the West contrasted Peter’s distaste for Eastern traditions. 

Chloe Hawkins
12B Advisory

Not a Basic Bear

One part of my project this term was designing a teddy bear of some kind and then making it.

I started with two bears that I got from the op shop because I figured entirely patterning and sewing a bear from scratch would be a bit too ambitious and would require a lot more time.

I built the antlers on the brown bear and the bones on the black bear with some wire to get a shape, foil to give it more bulk and polymer clay to get the final shape.

The black bear was originally also a light brown colour and I dyed it before I started working on everything else.

Sonja thought a mask would be cool and I also thought it would add a little bit more to the design so I hand sewed a little plague mask with leather scrap I brought.

I’m proud of how they've come out and I'm proud of the work I put into them.

Grace Fyfe
10B Advisory

Jimmy Harrison Creative Writing

As a school we try and create as many opportunities for our young people to be supported by community mentors. Fenix Jaitong, from 10B Advisory, has a passion and interest in story writing. Recently the spent time with renowned Launceston story writer and script expert, Jimmy Harrison, looking at the importance of planning and editing a story. Fenix said he appreciated honest feedback on his work and said that Jimmy was amazing to work with!!

News from 9B Advisory

Melody-Jane Collyer began her first independent Social-Action project this term. She spent time in the kitchen mentored by advisor Rob Lewandowski and developed an idea to raise money by making and selling toasted sandwiches.

Melody already had a passion for working in the kitchen and she developed her skills and knowledge to make, store and serve food on a larger scale.

She also spent time identifying a cause that had significance for her and chose Share the Dignity, an organisation committed to supplying free sanitary items for women who cannot afford to buy these. Melody discovered other local young people who are supporting the women in their communities by connecting with Share the Dignity and she intends to continue her support of this cause in Term 3.

Through her work making and selling sandwiches, Melody has done some rich Quantitative Reasoning as she uses price lists, budgets and record keeping to work out costs and profit but, importantly, to recognise how many factors can influence profit and begin to problem solve these. We’re looking forward to Melody continuing this in Term 3 with her new knowledge and skills.

 Poetry Contest 

Alex Bromley has also embarked on his own Social-Action Project in Term 2.

He came up with an idea to run a poetry contest in week 9 of Term.

Alex worked with Adrian to develop his plans and come up with a prize.

Alex made posters to advertise his contest and he regularly spoke to Advisories and the LBPS community at Town Hall to advertise, inform, collect poetry and donations and finally to announce his winner.

Gang As Advisory won the prestigious prize of a $20 Busy Bee voucher with a poem that cleverly avoided rhyme.

One of Alex’s passions is native animals and so the money he raised was donated to the Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary. Well done Alex!

Sport & Recreation

The sport and recreation team have been out and about experiencing lots of new things this term. Most recently students visited the Launceston Worker’s Club to learn and play various competitions associated with eight ball and darts. Lots of fun was had by everyone.

Design & Construction

Lots happening at Launceston Big Picture in this space! Great to have John Crick in the workshop. Our school is very appreciative of our highly skilled mentors!!

We recently shared Sienna’s completed design and technology project!! Check it out in operation- we are told that her horses love it!!

9B Advisory

What do you think of the new desks in Jen’s Advisory? Jarrod, Noah and Seth think they’re just right!

They have been working in the workshop every Thursday with John to develop knowledge and skills to work safely in this busy space. For their initial project each person chose to create a folding table. The finished products show that there has been some great development of new skills and learning procedures for safe use of machinery and equipment.

Jarrod, Noah and Seth are now looking forward to using their skills and knowledge to begin their independent project work in Term 3.

Food & Cooking

Chicken Curry by Molly Walker, 9A Advisory

Great to have Robyn and Shirley mentoring students in our kitchen!

Get Active Program (GAP)

Over the duration of term 2 the students in GAP (Get Active Program) have participated in a variety of challenging activities.

Coached by Ella Condon-Baker and Jasmine Polson, the activities we run on a Monday from 12:30 up until 2:45. We selcted some activities to participate, which were chosen with the intent to push us to our limits and face challenges together.

Some activities we have completed this term were a walk through the Gorge where we tackled the Zig Zag Track, Pickleball, 8 ball and Ping Pong. We also went Bowling where we eventually gave up and put the sides up. Playing Mini Golf at Grindelwald was another activity.

More recently we have been rock climbing and last week Laser Tag, which was a lot of fun although the greatest challenge was no one could beat Ella.

Aspiration, Courage, Respect, Growth

We are always looking for ways of rewarding positive behaviour at our school.

Students and staff are encouraged to nominate those people who have shown Aspiration, Courage, Respect or Growth. Winners receive a voucher from Bizy Bee  Café, Invermay Road and our winners this month so far are:

• Jessie Edrich: Aspiration - dedicated work to remain on track, despite being away unwell a lot
• Chloe Hawkins: Growth - doubling down on her UTAS High Achievers Program
• Finn Read: Aspiration - focussed work to achieve learning goal
• Sam Stewart: Growth - working in the TAFE kitchens
• Jasmine Lipski: Courage - leaving the building to learn at Big Ears Animal Sanctuary
• Genevieve Marshall: Growth - completing a high quality Term 2 exhibition
• Andre Santamaria: Courage & Respect - being nice, welcoming and very friendly to everyone 
• Chloe Hawkins: Respect - helped Advisory mates with their work

Family Information Evening for 2022 Enrolments

Join us for a Family Information Evening as a 2022 enrolment possibility!

• Wednesday, 11th August 2021 at 5:00pm

Click on the link below for details.

Term 3: Start and End Dates

• Monday, 19th July - Student Free Day
• Tuesday, 20th July - Friday, 24th September 

Volunteers

Launceston Big Picture School has a proud history of volunteer involvement. I would like to invite any family or community members who hold a “Working with Vulnerable People” authorisation to contact the school if you have any interest in assisting in a volunteer capacity.

The school welcomes the contributions of our volunteers. Should you have a special area of expertise to offer, or simply wish to support our students in their daily programs, please feel free to approach a member of our team with your ideas and interests.

COVID Quick Check-In TAS

To comply with Public Health Directions, our school is now set up with the COVID Check In TAS App. This app enables visitors to our school to register their visit using the self-check-in QR code and have their information directly stored with the Tasmanian Department of Health for contact tracing (if required).

Use of the app will help the Tasmanian contact tracing team quickly identify and assist anyone who may have been exposed to COVID-19.  

Click on the link below for instructions on how to Download the COVID Check-In TAS App.

Big Picture Education has 12 distinguishers.  In our newsletter we will share them.  Our fifth is...

5. Collaboration for Learning

Students work in one-on-one or small group learning environments around their interests both inside and outside the school.  Through internships, the community plays an integral role in the education of the students.

Informing School of Student Absences

Your child’s Advisory Teacher records attendance daily using the DoE EduPoint system. Attendance is taken between 8:55am – 9:30am. 

If your child is going to be absent, you will need to inform the school ASAP - otherwise the EduPoint system automatically marks the absence as ‘Unauthorised-Unexplained’ and this is not altered until communication is received from parents.

The preferred method of communication is to send the school an SMS 0427 016 460 (this is a short message service only, so you will not be able to ring the school on this number).

LBPS admin check the SMS service throughout the day and update any changes to student attendance.

You can of course ring the school direct on 6335 1500 and leave a voice message on the answerphone.

School Uniform

It is compulsory for students to wear their school uniform when attending school excursions, interviews, LTIs or if they are representing the school at events. 

Uniforms can be purchased from the school office and are sold at cost price:

• Polo Shirts with school logo = $30 (sizes 6 up to 5XL)
• School Hoody with school logo = $65 (sizes XS up to 2XL)

Any pre-worn uniform donations would be very much appreciated and are used in our emergency uniform/clothing pool.

Parking Inveresk Precinct 

It is highly recommended that parents and visitors to the school DO NOT PARK along the nature strip in front of the school, slong the footpath or on the grass area beside Aurora Stadium.

The City Council have recently approached the school and have advised these areas are being patrolled and infringements are being issued.

Parents and visitors are advised to use the paid parking facilities at the Inveresk Car Park (next to Blue Cafe).

Communication & Useful Links

I would like to remind families of some useful links and apps that you may use to assist with receiving communication from our school.

• SMS Only - 0427 016 460 to report student absences, please send a text to our short message service
• Schoolzine App & Newsletter - Our newsletter is published at the end of every month through Schoolzine. Schoolzine is an app that allows you to communicate with the school, receive notices and newsletters

• School Website - Our website allows you to access lots of useful information about our school

• School Facebook - please 'like' our facebook page as we often post communication to parents on there

Local Transport Services

Support Staff 2021

Student Leaders 2021

Just want to say a BIG THANK YOU to all the LBPS students who have contributed to this months newsletter, we really do enjoy reading your articles and stories of your personal progress.

If students have stories they would like to share, then please email your news items to me jennifer.kendall@education.tas.gov.au

Jennifer Kendall
School Business Manager