EHPS Contact

Principal's Report

Dear EHPS Parents and Carers,

Mother's Day Treat & Stall

A huge thank you to the Parents and Friends Club for organising the Mother’s Day events on Thursday and Friday. The before school treat was very well attended and mums and special carers were able to get together and share breakfast and a coffee with their loved ones. On Friday the children had a wonderful time selecting gifts from the Mother’s Day Stall. These events again show the Essex Heights spirit and our connectedness as a school community. Thank you to all the PFC volunteers. Your work is truly appreciated.

Road Safety and our children

In recent weeks I have had cause to speak with a few parents about the way children walk or ride to school. It appears that some children are not careful enough when crossing intersections either as pedestrians or cyclists. I urge all families to please spend some time discussing road safety with your children this weekend.

 

To help keep your children safe around roads, teach them how to follow the safe road crossing procedure – STOP, LOOK, LISTEN and THINK:

• STOP one step back from the kerb, or shoulder of the road if there is no footpath.

• LOOK in all directions for approaching traffic.

• LISTEN in all directions for approaching traffic.

• THINK about whether it is safe to cross the road – when the road is clear or all traffic has stopped. When crossing, walk straight across the road. Keep LOOKING and LISTENING for traffic while crossing.

To help keep children safe when using wheeled devices there are a few key steps you can follow:

  • Always supervise children when they are using wheeled devices.
  • Always use correctly fitted and appropriate safety gear like helmets, wrist guards and knee/elbow pads.
  • It’s important that children learn to ride their wheeled device in a safe environment e.g. away from roads and driveways.
  • Ensure that the wheeled device is the right size for your child and is appropriate for their development and motor skills.

For further resources please follow the link below to the VicRoads web site:  Vic Roads Safety 

Student Attitude to School Survey

Over the next month, children in Years 4 to 6 will complete the annual student opinion survey. This survey provides important information for the school about the views of children over a range of issues. Next week you will receive an email explaining the purpose and scope of the student survey, so please check your Compass portal for this email.

School Photos

We have recently received some enquiries from parents about their school photo orders. We expect to receive the photos shortly and will notify you via Compass when they have been received and distributed to students.

Lost Property

I would like to remind all families that we have four lost property boxes in the school. They are located outside the Eucalyptus and Violet buildings, just inside the main doors of Banksia building and in the foyer of the Stadium. I am staggered by the number of items that are left around the school and then end up in the lost property boxes. I would urge all families to discuss with your children the need to look after their belongings and that it is their responsibility to remember where they put things. To help with this issue I remind all families to label ALL uniform items with the child’s name. Families are encouraged to look through the lost property boxes to try to locate misplaced uniform items before the startof the school day or after school dismissal. 

Party Bags

Many families like to celebrate their child’s birthday by distributing a small party bag to class mates. This is a very kind gesture and is appreciated by the children and families. I would like to suggest that we keep in mind a few guidelines with respect to these party bags:

  • Consider alternatives to sweets/lollies for the party bags. 
  • Healthier alternatives would be appreciated by many families.
  • Let’s try paper party bags as opposed to plastic bags. 
  • Maybe consider an alternative to the party bag altogether e.g. provide a book or game to celebrate with the class. 
  • Please discuss your ideas with the class teacher. 

Acknowledgement of Country

I had the privilege this week of working with Mark Lumley, our Koorie Education Support Officer, and a number of Year 6 leaders and Year 5 JSC representatives to develop an Acknowledgement of Country for EHPS:

Womin Jeka.

We stand here today on Wurundjeri Woiwurrung land and acknowledge elders past, present and aspiring. We also recognise that the beautiful grounds of Essex Heights Primary School were once the grassy woodlands cared for by the Wurundjeri people. We show gratitude for every culture and the values that we all share.

We will recite this Acknowledgement of Country as a school community each week at our School Assembly and at special events.

School Saving Bonus

You may have seen the recent announcement of the School Saving Bonus, as part of the Victorian Budget 2024/25, this week. We are sharing more information about how families will be able to access and use this support.

This one-off support will include $400 for each eligible student to help families cover the costs of school uniforms and activities in 2025.

It will be available to parents and carers of every child enrolled in a Victorian government school in 2025.

Cash will not be paid directly to individuals or families. Instead, families will receive the bonus as credits on their school accounts that will help meet the costs of your children’s activities and uniforms.

Existing supports

The School Saving Bonus support will be in addition to existing and continuing means-tested supports for camps, sports, excursions and uniforms.

The application-based Affordable School Uniform program, through State Schools’ Relief, will continue to be available to families experiencing financial hardship or other forms of vulnerability and short-term crisis. This program allows schools to make multiple applications for support on parents' behalf throughout the year if needed.

There will be more information and guidance about the School Saving Bonus in Term 3 2024, ahead of its implementation in 2025.

Farewell

We farewell the following student and their family from the EHPS community:

  • Dustin S (PDB)

 

 

I look forward to seeing you around the school. 

Kindest regards,

George Perini

Principal