From the Principal and Assistant Principal

Welcome back

Happy new year everyone! The beautiful sunshine this week has provided perfect weather for the first week of school.

Thank you to all families for preparing your children for their return to school.

To ensure we continue to adhere to Department of Education and Training advice and community expectations to manage COVID 19, school routines continue to look a little different.

We greatly appreciate your support and adaptability during these times when our clear focus and purpose is to safeguard our health and the health of others.

It was wonderful to see students, parents and carers catching up in the grounds with each other and sharing their holiday adventures and our teachers were outside to warmly welcome the students and their families back to school.

Throughout the school there is a great sense of calm and the students are settling in well. They are happy to see their classmates and ready to resume the daily and weekly rhythm of school.

The classrooms look wonderful. Thank you to all teachers for the time they spent at school during the holidays preparing the learning environment for their students. Our teachers are highly committed to the students and to the school.

Welcome to our new families

All students, teachers and parents extend a warm welcome to our Prep students and their families as well as twenty new students, joining a range of year levels, and their families. We look forward to getting to know you.

Curriculum Days: Staff professional learning

Wednesday 27th January

Professional learning focused on revisiting our staff norms and school values and our progress towards the goals and targets in our Strategic Plan. The 2021 Annual Implementation Plan was discussed by staff to set the scene for our areas of focus for the year ahead.

In the afternoon staff also completed First Aid and Anaphylaxis Training.

Thursday 28th January

Consultant Rowena Ulbrick and Learning Specialist Keli David facilitated whole staff professional development focused on our pedagogical model for learning and teaching, differentiated learning and Inquiry learning.

Friday 29th January

Staff spent time analyzing whole school student data to establish the learning needs of the students in their individual class and their year level. Teaching teams spent time with Sue Fine our Mathematics Consultant to plan the classoom maths program. For the remainder of the day teaching teams met to further analyse student data in Mathematics and English to inform the classroom program for the term ahead.

Current Department of Education and Training School Operations

Stay home when unwell

The most important action school communities can take to reduce the risk of transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19), is to ensure that any unwell staff and students remain at home and get tested, even with the mildest of symptoms.

Young children with persistent mild symptoms

Younger children (pre-school up to Grade 2) may have prolonged post-viral symptoms such as a runny nose or cough and may return to school following a negative coronavirus (COVID-19) test even if they are not completely free of symptoms. They will need a medical certificate from their GP to confirm they are otherwise well or have recovered from their acute illness.

Any worsening of symptoms will require review and repeat coronavirus (COVID-19) testing, if considered appropriate by the doctor.

Students with a negative coronavirus (COVID-19) test whose symptoms have completely resolved do not need a medical certificate to return to the school.

School based activities

Some school-based activities may need to be altered, deferred or delivered remotely to reduce coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission risk. Decisions regarding the types of activities that take place should consider the potential risk associated with the activity, the level of community transmission, and available modifications to minimise risk.

Due to the announcement by the Premier last night, mask wearing is required inside buildings. Following the Government’s announcements regarding new statewide restrictions that came into effect at 11:59pm on Wednesday 3 February, there is new guidance for schools regarding the wearing of masks. People aged 12 and over must wear a fitted face mask when in public indoor spaces unless there is a lawful reason not to. Students aged 12 or older must wear a face mask indoors when at school, unless they are attending a primary school, an Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) program or an exception applies. Children under 12 years of age and students at primary school or attending an OHSC program are not required to wear face masks. School staff are not required to wear face masks while teaching or caring, but those who wish to do so, can. Staff must wear face masks in indoor areas of the school when not teaching or caring. Visitors to school sites must also wear masks when indoors.
Drop off and pick up: At this stage parents can enter the grounds to drop off from 8.45-9.00am and pick up from 3.30-3.45pm. Thank you to everyone for your support and understanding. Our parents and carers have been absolutely fantastic with their adherence to this time frame.
Visitors to school during the day must come to the front office where they will be helped by the office team.
Parent Information Evenings will be delivered via Webex. Dates are listed in the calendar section.
Incidental parent teacher meetings initiated by parents or teachers, as required, will continue via phone calls. Every year at this time we encourage parents/carers to advise their child's teacher of any matters that may influence their child's learning and wellbeing. If there is a matter you wish to discuss with the teacher, please email or call the office to let us know times you are available by phone after school in the week beginning March 1st. The week has been put aside for phone calls between teachers and parents after school however if a matter is urgent please let us know and the teacher will call prior to that week.
Assembly: Density limits continue to apply for assembly. We will continue to have whole school assembly with students and staff only. Parents can watch assembly via WebEx and details about how to join can will be sent to families tomorrow via Compass
Investiture of student leaders: Due to density limits, attendanceatthe investiture will include all Year 6 students and Junior School Councillors from other year levels only, and two adults from the family. This is the same approach that we used to manage density limits for our Year 6 Graduation Ceremony last year, and it enables our families to be part of this very special event. The date for this event is listed in the calendar section.
Birthday celebrations: Individually wrapped food items brought from home will be distributed by the teacher just before home time, and taken home.
Canteen: The canteen is closed until further notice and arrangements for reopening the canteen will be discussed at School Council.

Year 4 Arrabri Camp

Year 5 Sovereign Hill Camp

Our students have enjoyed magnificent weather while on camp this week. Teachers report the students are having a fantastic time. The shared experience of camp enables students to strengthen their relationships with their peers and teachers, learn self responsibility, independence and teamwork as well as broaden their understanding of their world.

Photos of the students participating in camp activities can be found on our facebook page.

Next week our Year 6 students will spend a week at Merricks Camp on the Mornington Peninsula.

Congratulations to Beth Wilson

We are delighted to announce the safe arrival of Matilda Jean, a daughter for Beth and her partner Luke and a sister for Harvey. Everyone is happy, healthy and very excited!

Quote of the Week: Resilience

"No matter how much falls on us, we keep plowing ahead. That's the only way to keep the roads clear.” ― Greg Kincaid

Gratitude and Mindfulness

What are three things that went well for you today?

What are the best things that happened to you today?

Who are you most grateful for and why?

What are you looking forward to most about tomorrow?

Sheryl Skewes Ellen Wilson

Principal Assistant Principal