PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Term 4 Week 8

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we approach the end of the year, it’s always the busiest time for our staff, as we wrap up the remaining work for 2024 while also planning ahead for 2025. Our goal is to maintain our high standards right through to the end, making the most of the time we have left this year.

The final weeks are filled with exciting activities, including excursions, incursions, celebrations, and farewells. These events offer great opportunities for students and staff to connect, reflect on their achievements, and finish the year on a positive note.

On Wednesday, December 11, we will be holding an "Open Afternoon", offering a wonderful opportunity for all students to guide their parents and carers through a showcase of their work, highlighting their achievements throughout the year.

This Open Afternoon is a new feature for 2024, designed to replace the traditional end-of-year parent-teacher interviews. Based on feedback from our school community, there was a clear preference for this approach, and we are excited to explore it further. More details will be shared closer to the date.

We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating the students' hard work and progress!

Thank you for your ongoing support as we work together to make these final weeks of 2024 memorable and meaningful for all our students.

School Saver Bonus

Many of you will have recently received in your Inbox, details about the School Saver Bonus that was announced earlier this year. 

The Victorian Government is making life that little bit easier for families by providing a one-off $400 School Saving Bonus. 

This support will help cover the cost of school uniforms, textbooks, and school activities like camps, excursions and sports.  The School Saving Bonus in addition to existing and continuing means-tested supports for Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) and the State Schools Relief Vouchers. 

Unfortunately, it has been communicated to us from the Department of Education, Lucas Primary School stationery packs are not covered, (this cover only applies to secondary schools who require the purchase of textbooks). 

The School Saving Bonus will be provided to schools and families in Term 4, 2024 – you do not need to apply for the School Saving Bonus.  The Department of Education will email you in late November 2024 with more details about your $400 School Saving Bonus because this is a Statewide roll out, the emails will be staggered.  You will be able to access it via an online system.  You can decide how to best use the School Saving Bonus for your family’s needs.  

You can choose how to allocate the $400 in the online system, by nominating to use a portion (or full amount) for a uniform voucher (PSW) or State Schools Relief (non-logo uniform e.g. navy shorts, shoes, skorts) or for school activities. 

*It is important that you calculate how you would like the funds allocated for your child before entering these allocations via the online portal - once you have entered your request to allocate the funds they cannot be redirected or changed.

If there are any changes to your recently submitted enrolment it is imperative that you contact the school office on 5338 5000 to update your information. To learn more about the School Saving Bonus, visit vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus.

Please see animated video below for parents/carers on how to process the 'School Savings Bonus'

School Council

Our School Council came together for the November meeting this week. The following was discussed.

• Financial reports for the month of October including our profit and loss reports for Lucas LEAP OHSC.
• An update on the new buildings and the maintenance schedule for the next 12 months.
• The community connection events that have occurred during the past month including the EBT sponsors morning tea and Kinder - Prep transition program
• Continued work on the Christmas Carols Picnic evening set for Thursday December 12. The School Council is playing a central role to organise and run the raffle on the night.
• A teaching and learning update was provided that included information around the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 and the new Mathematics curriculum.
• A wellbeing update that included the progress being made on our SWPBS model, the Positive Gender Relationships Forum and school’s work on the transition programs currently in place.
• A report was delivered on the school’s Annual Implementation Plan and the progress that has been made in 2024.
• We looked at the Student Attitude to School Survey data and the strategies being implemented to respond to the student needs.
• A building and grounds report was delivered to discuss the developments to the CCTV operations across the school, access gates for the shed and oval and a long-term grounds plan for the school. 
• Curriculum and Fundraising reports were also delivered.
• Photo permissions were discussed, and the wording of the permissions finalised to include for all students at the beginning of 2025. This will simplify the photos permission process that is currently being used.

Our School Council will meet once more for the year to celebrate the progress of the school during 2024 and thank the councillors for their work.

2025 School Financial Contributions and Stationery Packs

Last week all families will have received a Compass message outlining the plan for ordering 2024 Stationery Packs and the School Council approved Financial Contribution Schedule.

Stationery Packs:

Our stationery pack provider, KaKa Kids, will be able to take online orders again this year. Thanks to those who have already placed their order in preparation for the 2025 school year. Orders need to be placed prior to December 9th, or a $14.95 late surcharge will apply. All stationery packs will be delivered directly to the school in readiness for the first day of the 2025 school year. Teachers will manage the distribution process in the classroom throughout the year.

Please see the Stationery Pack Compass message for more details. 

Financial Contribution Schedule:

Each year we ask families to contribute financially to support the programs that are offered at Lucas Primary School. These contributions are kept to a minimum but allow the school to maintain and offer programs of a high standard.

There are a number of areas in the Financial Contribution Schedule:

Curriculum Consumables - This supports the school to purchase items and activities that students use, or participate in, to access the curriculum. A good example of this are the resources used within our specialist programs (Art, Performing Arts, Physical Education and Japanese). These come at considerable cost to the school and are used by every student throughout the year, often needing replacement on an annual basis.

Other Contributions - This supports the ongoing school grounds maintenance program to ensure the school is kept in a safe, neat and tidy condition for all to enjoy on a daily basis.

Donation - School Initiative Project - This year we have included a contribution to a project that will be a major focus in the coming year. In 2025, we are looking to establish a Vegetable Garden and Outdoor Learning Space to complement our extracurricular program. Donations are welcome and will be supplemented through a grants program and the school fundraising efforts. We aim to update this section of the financial contribution schedule each year with a new focus so that our school continues to grow and offer new learning experiences for the students.

Extra-Curricular Items and Activities - This is the user pay section of the Financial Contributions Schedule and covers camps, excursions and incursions throughout the year. Parents have the choice of paying $150 up front that sits in credit for the activities throughout the year or by paying for each activity at the time of the event. Please note that any unused financial credit at the end of each year can be rolled over to the following year. This money remains in the family name and any remaining credit is refunded upon departure.

We appreciate all financial contributions which allows Lucas Primary School to maintain the best possible education and support for your child.

Orientation Day - Meet Your Teacher Session

Over the past several weeks, our teachers have dedicated significant time to carefully planning the classes for 2025. Students have been grouped based on a variety of factors to ensure well-balanced and harmonious classes. As you can imagine, this is a complex and time-consuming process, but we hope that the extra effort will set us up for a smooth and successful start to the new school year.

We understand that this time of year can be challenging for some families, and we greatly value the role that parents and carers play in supporting their children through transitions. Staying positive and helping your child view this period as an opportunity for growth can make a big difference. We appreciate your continued support in navigating this process over the coming weeks.

On December 10, we will be holding our Orientation Day, which will give students the chance to meet their 2025 teachers and classmates. The day will include the following activities:

• Year 6 students will spend the day at secondary school (for state schools).
• 2025 Prep students will spend half a day with their 2025 Prep teachers.
• All other students will participate in a "Meet Your Teacher" session from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., where they will meet their 2025 teacher and spend time in their new classrooms with their classmates.

This is always an exciting day for both students and teachers as we prepare for the year ahead.

In addition to the events on Orientation Day, staff will be working closely with their future students and engaging in thorough handovers with their 2024 teachers. This collaboration will help ensure a smooth transition and allow us to build on the progress made this year.

We recognise that there is often movement within the school community at this time of year. To help us with planning for 2025 and to ensure your child’s needs are fully supported on Orientation Day, please let us know as soon as possible if you plan to move away from Lucas Primary School.

Thank you again for your support as we work together to make this transition as smooth and positive as possible for all our students.

Graduation

Our Year 6 students have had a wonderful 12 months of success both in and outside the classroom. They have been role models for the younger students and certainly been a lot of fun around the school. As the end of year approaches, so does the Year 6 Graduation ceremony which is set to take place on December 16. The ceremony will include some speeches, some awards, a reflection video, a special surprise and of course a graduate disco.

This always promises to be a night of laughs and deep reflection from the last seven years of primary education.

Our Year 6’s will also be formally farewelled at the final assembly on December 19 with an avenue of honour.

Christmas Carols Evening

Our annual Christmas Carol picnic is approaching fast on Thursday December 12 from 5.00 - 7.00pm. This is a night for the whole community to come together and enjoy each other's company and listen to the students sing some songs. All students will be involved in two performances throughout the night which includes a whole school song which promises to be a highlight. They have been practising very hard for this event.

Families are invited to bring along some food or purchase a sausage from the BBQ or nibbles from the other food vans on the night. We look forward to seeing everyone there.

BBQ helpers are still required - thanks to those who have popped their name on the BBQ roster. Please add your name to the list if you are able to assist or contact the office.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sAQmvjX_LZb-dGFeOr9z5UMzINiLZtvj7SuMscjYr14/edit

Christmas Raffle

Once again, we will be having our annual Christmas Raffle!

Thank you very much to the families who have already kindly donated prizes. We are still taking donations, so if you would like to contribute a prize, please drop it off at the office at any time. We are always very grateful for all the donations we receive.

We will be looking for four parent helpers to wrap the raffle prizes on Wednesday the 11th of December at 1:30pm. If you are able to help, please let the office know.