Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to the new school term at EHPS. We're looking forward to a busy and productive term.

This term is filled with exciting excursions and learning opportunities for the children as well as having fun at school.

In coming weeks, we are looking forward to:

The Instrumental Music Program Guitar and Drum & Percussion mid year concerts.
The Victorian State Schools Spectacular later in the term. Our students have been working hard all year rehearsing for the Mass Choir and Mass Dance; we are really eager to see the results of their persistence and hard work.
The House Athletics will be held on 10 August.
The Today Show will broadcast from our school later in the term. The date is still to be finally confirmed.
Science Week and Book Week.
The start of our Swimming Program.
The Disco and Father's Day Treat and Stall organised by our Parents & Friends Club.
The School Transition Program for our incoming Preps commences this term with Story Time, Art and Music sessions. This is an exciting time for these children and their family as they begin the transition to primary school and becoming members of the EHPS community.
and finally, a visit from a musical theatre star next week; think of a Prince.

Semester 1 Reports & Parent/Teacher Discussions

As advised last term, Semester 1 reports will be published in week 3 this term, allowing time for additional assessment following the significant numbers of students and staff absent due to illness. Parent/Teacher Discussions will follow in week 4 (1 to 5 August). Booking times on Compass will open shortly and you will be informed next week. I encourage all families to book a time with classroom teachers so that you can have a meaningful discussion related to the progress of your child and their areas of growth.

Prep 2023

We've had very strong interest from families wanting their child to start primary school at EHPS next year. First round offers have been made and we are delighted with the rate of response. As mentioned above, our School Transition Program commences this term, and all incoming Prep students are invited to participate. We look forward to getting to know our new students.

If you have a child to enrol in Prep next year (child born on or before 30 April 2018), but have not yet lodged the documentation, please do so immediately. Enrolment instructions and documentation are available from the School Office.

Maths Garden – People's Choice Award

As I mentioned at the end of last term, our school was fortunate to again gain a grant of $2,000 from Bank First to continue the development of the Maths Garden. This grant, in conjunction with other significant support from State Government, Federal Government and private grants, has seen the transformation of the area adjacent to our school oval into a space for hands on Maths learning.

Yesterday, I was again contacted by Bank First to inform us that our project had won the

People’s Choice Award that was conducted over the previous three weeks. This means we received an additional $500 towards the completion of the Maths Garden project. Thank you to everyone that voted!

COVIDSafe Procedures Update

With the change to the pandemic orders announced at the end of last term, I would like to remind you of the implications for our school community:

Parents and carers who have COVID-19 can transport their non-COVID-19 children via private vehicle to their primary or secondary school when an alternative person is not available to assist. This means that parents and carers will be able to leave COVID self-isolation to take their non-COVID-19 child to school via a private vehicle. The parent or carer must travel directly to and from the school only. They must always remain in the vehicle unless it is reasonably necessary to leave the vehicle to walk the child to and from the entrance of the school safely. They must wear a face mask at all times.
Parents/guardians are asked to continue reporting positive COVID-19 cases to both the school and the Department of Health.
You must also let the school know if your child is a household contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Students who are household contacts and want to attend school should still take five RATs over seven days and wear a face mask whilst indoors if they are aged 8 years or over; children under 8 years of age are recommended to wear a face mask.
To volunteer at school, you must hold a current Working with Children Check and have read and adhere to the Child Safety Policy and Child Safety Code of Conduct. Your WWCC card must be presented at our Office to be copied for our register. Lodge your signed Child Safety acknowledgement (page 3 of the Code of Conduct) at the Office.
Collecting children during school hours:
- parents/guardians are to enter an attendance note on Compass and email their child's teacher to advise them of the reason and time their child will be leaving school so the student can be sent to the Office in a timely manner; this should preferably be done before the start of that school day.
- On arrival at school, parents/guardians come into the School Office reception, and you will be able to collect your child from there.
If phoned by the school to collect your child, please come to the school as soon as possible and come into the School Office reception; your child will be brought to you there.

COVIDSafe Guidelines

For the health and wellbeing of our school and the wider community, we will continue with the following COVIDSafe measures:

Ventilation - we have received our full allocation of air purifiers which have been placed in every classroom and high traffic space. These are used daily in combination with open doors and windows (weather permitting).
Regular hand hygiene.
Physical distancing.
Rapid Antigen Tests recommended for staff and students.
Dace mask – highly recommended for staff and students but not mandated

Rapid Antigen Tests

The Victorian Government have committed to providing schools with free Rapid Antigen Tests until the end of the 2022 school year.

The first of three distributions this term will be next week. Students will be provided with their RAT kit by their classroom teacher, and parents will be notified by Compass on the day the distribution occurs. We ask that you take the test out of their school bag and store safely should it be required.

The second distribution will occur in week 5, and the third in week 8.

A Rapid Antigen Test should be administered if your child has any symptoms, or if they are a household contact but are attending school during the isolation period.

Expanded eligibility for fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has updated its recommendations around fourth doses of COVID-19 vaccination. From Monday 11 July 2022, people over 30 years became eligible for a fourth dose. ATAGI recommends that people aged 50 to 64 years should have their fourth dose, while those aged 30 to 49 years may choose to have a fourth dose. For further information see the ATAGI website.

Welcome

We welcome the following students and their families to the EHPS community:

Youliang (Vicky) R (2D)
Ava J (2D)
Sanath U (3L)
Jonathan W (3O)
Dean J (4C)
Rehaan G (5L)
Nuoqian (Sherry) Z (5U)
Caitlyn W (6CH)

Looking forward to seeing you around the school.

Kindest regards,

George Perini

Principal

Year 3

Kristi Lloyd, Paula Hammond, Nikki Olsen, Felicity O'Flynn