Lunchtime Clubs

This year we have seen a further increase in the Lunchtime Clubs we offer here at Park Ridge Primary School. Each week, students have the opportunity to attend any of the following Lunchtime clubs during Term 1:

Library
Junior Choir
Senior Choir
Calm Club (Drawing and mindful colouring)
Friendship bracelets
Gardening
Foundie lunchtime club

We are really proud of the different offerings we can provide here at Park Ridge Primary School, beyond the normal recess and lunchtime play activities - something I never got to experience when I was at primary school 30+ years ago. A huge thank you to all our staff who make the time to offer these (extra) experiences to all our students.

National Ride2School Day - Friday, 22 March

Not only is active travel good for your health, it’s good for the environment too!

Did you know ?

For every kilometre you actively travel instead of driving, you save 243.8 grams of carbon emissions.

But what does that actually mean?

On National Ride2School Day 2023, students across Australia saved 28 tonnes of CO2 by actively travelling to school – the equivalent of planting 195 trees. That’s only one day. Imagine if we did that every day of the school year. Over a year we’d save 5,600 tonnes of CO2 – the equivalent of planting 39,000 trees!

National Ride2School Day is the perfect opportunity for Australian students and school communities to embrace a healthier start and to try walking and riding to school for themselves. Walking, Riding or Scooting to school can improve children’s health and wellbeing. The Australian Department of Health and Ageing recommends children do at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. Children who walk, cycle or scoot to and from school have higher levels of physical activity and improved cardiovascular fitness than children who don’t.

At Park Ridge Primary School we promote a healthy lifestyle and encourage everyone to walk, ride or scoot to school as regularly as possible. This day is all about encouraging students (and their families) to leave the car at home and get a taste of the benefits, ease and fun involved in choosing to walk or wheel. The experience of being involved in the day may encourage children and their families to make travelling to school a walking or wheeling option. However, it is important that as a community we are aware of the safest way to walk or wheel to school.

Walking or Wheeling Safety Tips

Cross only at corners or marked crosswalks. (If there is a crosswalk button, press the button and wait for the walk sign to indicate that it is safe to cross.)
Stop at the curb or edge of the road, look left, then right, and then left again before you step into the street. If a car is parked where you are crossing, make sure there is no driver in the car. Then go to the edge of the car and look left right-left until no cars are coming. Keep looking for cars while you are crossing
Walk, don’t run. This gives time for drivers to see you before you enter the roadway

Walking or wheeling to school is something everybody can be involved in. Younger children are encouraged to walk or wheel with their parents, and older children on their own when parents decide it’s safe. Common parent concerns about letting their children walk or wheel to school alone fade away when parents walk or wheel with their children from a young age, teach them about walking or wheeling safely, and gain confidence in their children’s safety sense. So to celebrate National Ride2School Day, if you can ride (or walks - its all about being active) part or all of the way to school on Friday 22 March!

2024 School Council AGM

Every year we hold an AGM for School Council. This year our AGM will be held at 6:00pm in the Staffroom, on Thursday 21 March. Like all School Council sessions, these are open to anyone from our school community who wishes to attend.

Generally speaking, School Council is a forum in which sub-committees (Finance, Education/Policies, Buildings and Grounds, PCA etc) present their minutes to the Council for review and approval. At times, several motions are raised to the Council, and are discussed and voted upon based on what is best for the students here at Park Ridge Primary School. It is also the platform in which I present, on behalf of the school and our staff, our Annual Implementation Plan and Annual Report to the School Community. These key DE documents provide the transparent direction of the school over the next 12 months.

Change of parent/carer or student details

Student Resource Funding is determined by parent codes taken from the self-nominated category on student enrolment forms. This means that funds from the Government are taken from the parent/carer occupations. We take this opportunity to remind families to advise the school of any changes to employment. As always, any information is confidential.

In the case of an emergency, we will attempt to contact parents, and if there is no response, we then move to the emergency contacts. It is important that the office has the most current and correct contact details for any parent to help ensure this will happen.

Please take this time to check your details on Compass, and if you find them incorrect, email the office at park.ridge.ps@education.vic.gov.au and we can amend these for you.

Classroom Doors Open at 8:35am, School Starts at 8:45am

Each day, our classroom doors open at 8:35am so students can settle themselves and get organised for the start of the school day. Please plan to arrive at school on time for a 8:45am start. Our teachers have developed strong, positive routines at the beginning of the school day to support our students settle-in and engage in learning as soon as the bell rings. This includes marking the roll at 9:00am and beginning our teaching and learning activities straight away.

We have implemented this approach of opening our classrooms 10 minutes before the bell to support the wellbeing and engagement of our students. When students arrive to school late, they take longer to settle into learning, and this can be unsettling for both themselves and their peers.

Please support your child to enjoy a positive start to the school day and their learning by planning to arrive on time.

Late Arrivals

When students arrive at school after the bell, they need to present to the office to be marked as a late arrival. As we are now well into the second half of Term 1, we hope that our families have created morning drop off routines to support your children to arrive at school on time. Please note, when a student arrives after 8:45am, a parent/carer must sign them in at the office. This is to provide a reason for the student’s late arrival and ensure our attendance records are up to date. We have a duty of care for all students, and it is imperative that we know when our students are at school and maintain accurate records of attendance.

The Department of Education requires us to have documented reasons for all late arrivals and absences.

Child Safety

In 2013, the Victorian Parliament held an inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, resulting in the Betrayal of Trust Report. As a result, the Victorian Government introduced Child Safe Standards for organisations that work with children, including schools. Park Ridge Primary School is committed to child safety and upholding the Child Safe Standards.

Park Ridge Primary School has zero tolerance for child abuse.

We are committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Our child safe policies, procedures, strategies, and practices will be inclusive of the needs of all children, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with disabilities, LGBTIQA+ students and children who are vulnerable including students who are in out of home care.

Every person involved in Park Ridge Primary School has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role they play individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.

Please see the Child Safe Standards page on our school website for up-to-date information, including direct links to the Child Safe Standards and the website for the Commission for Children and Young People.

A Plea for Help (repeat)

Over the past few weeks we have been sharing ways in which we can have our parent/community helpers support us in school initiative and events. Below is a perfect opportunity for anyone who is interested:

The much anticipated House Athletics Day is fast approaching, taking place on Wednesday, 20th March. In order for the day to be a success, we require a number of volunteers. Volunteers would need to be available from 9:30am to 1:00pm and have provided the office with a current Working With Children Check. If you would like to be involved in a fun-filled day, please email Mr Davey directly at matthew.davey2@education.vic.gov.au.

Any offers of assistance would be greatly appreciated.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Please feel free to pop in for a chat with either Carrie, Brendan or I, should you wish to discuss anything.

Our doors are always open!

Take care,

Mr. Dale Blythman

PCA News