WELCOME TO 2020

Dear Parents and Carers

Welcome to the first official newsletter of 2020. We trust that your child/children have settled in well and are enjoying getting to know their new teacher and classmates.

NEW STAFF

This year we welcome four new staff members:

- Serena Gu, Grade 2 Mandarin teacher

- Sophie Gunn, Grade 4 Classroom teacher

- Jason Caputo, Grade 5 Classroom teacher

- Lizze Rennie, Grade 6 Classroom teacher and Learning Specialist

WELCOME PICNIC

Our welcome picnic will be held in the Darling Gardens on Thursday 13th February from 5pm. Bring along a picnic to enjoy while catching up with other families. Please bring along a garbage bag so that you can take any rubbish home with you.

CURRICULUM DAY (STUDENT FREE)

Our first curriculum day will be Wednesday 4th March for parent-teacher interviews. Booking are now open via your Compass home page. Camp Australia will operate on this day if they get a sufficient number of bookings.

PREP COURTYARD DEVELOPMENT

The prep courtyard development is very close to completion. We are expecting it to be in operation next week. Further enhancements to this area, such as line markings to encourage play and garden bed planting will occur during the term. This project was only possible due to the fundraising efforts of our School Fair. All money raised at the 2018 School Fair was allocated to this project.

PARENT PAYMENT CHARGES

A reminder that Parent Payments for 2020 were due on 31st January 2020. Please contact the office if you need another copy of the payment charges for your child’s year level. If you wish to discuss an alternate payment plan, please contact Megan Smith on 9489 8333.

If you have a current Health Care Card, please provide a copy to the office as you may be eligible for the Camps, Sports and Excursion Fund grant. You will also be eligible for a discount on school charges.

SCHOOL COUNCIL ELECTIONS

We are now conducting an election for School Council vacancies. Nomination forms are available at the office and need to be received by 4pm on Monday 14th February. If you have any questions regarding the School Council please contact Megan Smith at smith.megan.s@edumail.vic.gov.au.

AMBULANCE COVER

Families are reminded that the Department of Education and Training does not provide personal accident insurance or ambulance cover for students. Parents and guardians of students, who do not have student accident insurance/ambulance cover, are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including the cost of ambulance attendance/transport and any other transport costs.

PERSONAL INSURANCE

Personal property is often brought to school by students and visitors. This can include mobile phones, calculators, toys and sporting equipment. As the Department of Education and Training does not hold insurance for personal property brought to schools and has no capacity to pay for any loss or damage to such property, students and visitors are discouraged from bringing any unnecessary or particularly valuable items to school.

SUPERVISION OF STUDENTS BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL

A reminder that there is no supervision for students prior to 8:45am and we request that parents/carers remain with their children until 8:45am. This is for your child’s safety.

Students found in the yard prior to 8:45am will be sent to the office or to Camp Australia.

We also ask that if you know you are going to be late to collect your child that you let the office know. That way we can have children wait in the classroom or at the office until your arrival. If you are going to be more than 15 minutes late we ask that you contact Camp Australia to make a booking.

PREP ENROLMENTS 2021

If you have a child who is due to commence Prep in 2020, please contact the office for an enrolment form. It assists us in our planning to receive enrolment forms as early in the year as possible.

Kind regards,

Megan

Open Days - Secondary Schools

Eltham College - Saturday 29th February

Whitefriars College Open Day and Scholarship