A Word from the Principal 

A Warm Welcome to our Weeden Heights Community

A warm welcome to our community

Welcome back to term 2!  I hope that you all had a great break over Easter and got to spend some special time as a family.  We have had a wonderful start to term 2 and the students have settled back into their learning well.

New Staff Member

I would like to welcome Mrs Nicki Whitfield as our new Kitchen Specialist.  Alice, left us unexpectedly at the end of term 1 after taking on a full time position in an office at a school.  We wish her all the best with her new role and she did express how she loved working with the students at our school.  

Nicki has come straight from the Stephanie Alexander Foundation where she spent three years and had previously been a kitchen specialist for a couple of prior to that appointment.  Nicki is also a primary school teacher so she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our school so we are lucky to have her.  Please make her feel welcome when you come up for the kitchen program.    

Anzac Day

I would like to congratulate our student leaders on their presentations  to our classes for Anzac Day.  A small ceremony was conducted over the PA last term due to the timing of the day in relation to the holidays.  On return to school which was the day after Anzac Day, our captains  spoke to each class about the day.  Their presentation include a short video as well.

Remembering on Anzac Day always brings a tear to my eye but it is critical that our younger generations understand the freedoms that we enjoy here in Australia are because of the sacrifices made by others.  Respect for our country and our flag is reinforced clearly at assemblies.  

School Oath

Respect is one of our school values and we demonstrate this in many ways.  We observe Anzac Day and we also acknowledge this each week at assembly.  For new parents and as a reminder to others, at assembly we have a school oath that all students pledge. 

Weeden Heights Primary School Oath

I love my country, Australia.

I value peace and freedom.

I will treat all people equally

I will respectfully look after the environment.

I’m proud of my school,

And I’ll do my best to make it a friendly and caring place.

I hope this helps your child to learn the oath

Uniform

I’m sure that you have all noticed a change in the weather!  Student are now able to wear their winter uniform and they are not required to wear their hats as of May 1.   They may of course chose to wear hats.   Please remember that tights or leggings are not to be worn with our summer dress.  Girls are required to wear blue track pants or the tunic with dark blue tights/blue leggings & blue socks. 

NAPLAN

NAPLAN assessments will be held over a two week period in May for students in Years 3 and 5.   They begin next Tuesday and are conducted online.  Please advise your child’s classroom teacher if your child is expected to be absent on any of these dates or if you have any concerns.

Attached below is some information from Weeden Heights PS about the NAPLAN exams.  It will be of particular interest to the year 3 parents who will now read it with ‘a new set of eyes’  as their child will complete the exams for the first time. 

Annual General Meeting 

This year, our Annual General Meeting will be held in an open school council meeting on 16 May begins at 6.30pm.   The 2021 Annual Report will be tabled and presented to the community as a part of the agenda.  It will occur towards the end of the meeting around 8pm and it will highlight our great successes for the year.  The report is already published and is available from our website.  Take a look and you will be able to download the document. 

If you intend to participate in the school council meeting which includes the AGM then please email the school to confirm your attendance by Thursday 12 May.  While everyone is welcome there are considerations based on density levels in schools and space restrictions so I do need to be aware of the numbers of ‘visitors’ to the school.   The School Council meeting will begin promptly at 6.30pm that night. 

This year, Education Week runs from 22–28 May. The theme, ‘150 Years of Public Education’ commemorates the past, celebrates the present and imagines the future of education in Victoria.

Weeden Heights PS  is 42 years old this year and will be celebrating 150 years of Education in Victoria by:

• Monday 23 May – dressing up through the decades parade after assembly.  Students will also complete activities across the day. 
• Tuesday 24 May – Grand parents open morning and morning tea and Open Night for the community
• Wednesday 25 May – Simultaneous Reading across the school and Victoria of the book, Family Tree
• Thursday 26 May – students will play old school yard games during the breaks
• Friday 27 May – Kinders will be invited to our school for an open morning

It should be loads of fun! 

Tours and enrolments for 2023

I continue to conduct school tours on a Wednesday morning for families interested in attending Weeden Heights PS or have already enrolled. Please encourage your friends and neighbours to return their enrolment forms for the 2023 Prep students to our office as they are now due. 

Our highly successful Bright Beginnings transition program commences in September  this year and we don’t want you or any future families to miss out on the opportunity.  

Professional Practice Day for Term 2

Each term teachers are released for professional learning as a part of their Enterprise Agreement.  At Weeden Heights PS we use these days to plan for the coming term.   For Term 2, 2022, the Department of Education recommends that schools hold their professional practice day on the same day for all staff due to the extreme staffing shortages and this will alleviate work place pressures in schools.  This way we will not be required to hire replacement teachers to cover the supervision of students.

We have nominated Tuesday 21 June 2022 as that day and students will not be required at school so that teachers can complete their professional practice day and plan for term three.

Happy Mothers Day for Sunday! I hope that all of our mothers and special people in our life are spoilt on this day. 

Until next time……

Kylie Campbell

Principal

Futures are Bright at Weeden Heights!