Important Notices
2024 Enrolments reminder
With the new enrolment schedule implemented by the Education Department this year, the closing date for 2024 Foundation Enrolment applications is Friday 28th July.
If you have a child who will be attending next year, we ask that you submit the enrolment forms for them as soon as possible. Enrolment forms are available from the office, or we can send one home with your child if required. Copies are also available on the SKIPPS website, at https://www.skipps.vic.edu.au/community/enrolments/
Please encourage any other parents with children commencing school next year to consider St Kilda Park. Please let them know there are only 2 tour dates remaining on Tuesday 18th and Wednesday 26th July
Tours can be booked at https://compasstix.com/e/dvo8kfxguw
Premiers!
Last Friday our Year 5/6 girls took part in the Tommy Lahiff Cup - an annual competition involving schools from across the Beachside Network.
We are eally excited to announce that our girls brought home the (incredibly impressive) trophy after a thrilling come back in the grand final.
We are so proud of the hard work and resilience of our students to win this prestigious competition. Our Year 5/6 boys will be taking part in their Tommy Lahiff competition tomorrow (Thursday 22nd June). we wish them all the best.
Keith Potger visit
We had a VIP visitor at school last week. Keith Potger, founder member of The Seekers, Australian music royalty and former SKiPPS student visited alongside his childhood friend Daniel Beebe. Both Keith and Daniel attended St Kilda Park over 70 years ago and graduated in 1952.
Our Year 5/6 students loved hearing about school life in the 1950s (including the 'strap') and asking questions about Keith's music career. Keith and Daniel then enjoyed a school tour with memories of ringing the bell, identifying their classrooms and signing records for staff members!
Orchestra
There will be no orchestra rehearsal in Week 1 of Term 3 to allow us to start the term gently. Please look out for further announcements regarding the orchestra early next term.
Swimming
A huge thank you to thoe families that have provided consent and made payment for our 2023 swimming program
The program will be taking place immediately after the upcoming school holidays - in weeks 1 and 2 of next term. All students from Foundation to Year 6 will travel to MSAC each day for a swimming and water safety lesson. Students in F-2 will have a 30-minute lesson each day and this will be 45 minutes for our older students (3-6).
Swimming is an important component of our Health and Physical Education Program and it is an expectation that all of our students participate in the program.
For the handful of families still to pay and provide consent, we ask you to do this as soon as possible as the deadline is tomorrow (Thursday 22nd June) to allow us to confirm numbers and arrangements with the pool and the bus company before the school holidays. We also ask you to return a paper medical and consent form to their child's teacher.
As always, we are determined that no student will miss out on the swimming program for financial reasons and are ready to support those families who may need financial help to allow their child to attend. Please contact me on neil.scott@education.vic.gov.au if you require financial support.
No Sushi on last day of term
A reminder that sushi orders for the term finished last week and so there will be no sushi this Friday.
Please remember to pack an alternative lunch and snack for the day instead.
End-of-Term Arrangements
We are now only just over a week away from the end of term 2 - at which point we will be halfway through the school year!
School will finish on Friday 23rd June at 2:30pm and we encourage families to make arrangements for this early finish. Team Kids will be operating from this time.
As you will read later in the newsletter, we also have a great winter celebration to end the term with. Our wonderful Parents' Association SKIPPA will be running a hot chocolate and biscuit stall in the quadrangle at 2:30pm on the day and we encourage you to hang around and finish the term with a treat!
If you can help out with the stall, please sign up for a slot at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B094BABA62EA3F85-biscuit
Team Kids winter holiday program
TeamKids have another amazing Winter Holiday program planned for our upcoming school holidays.
- Learn new skills and make new friends
- Qualified and REMARKABLE Educators
- Digital detox with our no screens policy
- Delicious and nutritious morning and afternoon snacks
- CCS-approved care
Head to teamkids.com.au to secure your spot!
Dads' Camp - save the date
Our parent-run Dads' Camp is taking place again this year at the Big4 Campsite in Wye River.
Whilst final arrangements are being put into place by the organising group of dads, they would like you to clear the decks and put the weekend of the 1st - 3rd December into your diaries.
Mums may want to start organising their child-free plans for that weekend!
Further details and booking information will follow later in the year.
End of Tax Year - reminder of our tax deductible funds
With the end of the tax year approaching, we know that some families will be looking at options to make gifts and donations to provide them with tax deductions.
The school operates two DGR (Deductible Gift Recipient) funds and we would welcome any donations that families may be willing and able to make. Doing so provides huge benefits to the school and can also give tax benefits to the person making the donation.
We operate a DGR Building Fund which allows us to collect funds that are used to maintain and upgrade our school buildings - something that is constantly required in our 141-year old buildings and which existing government funding never fully covers.
We also operate a DGR fund for our Library. Donations to this fund allow us to purchase books and resources for our wonderful school library - something which represents a lasting investment in the learning and engagement of our students.
Any parents considering making a donation prior to tax-time are encouraged to consider the school, chat to their accountant and reach out to Nova Whitehead, our lovely Business Manager at nova.whitehead@education.vic.gov.au to make arrangements.
Nova will be able to provide you with the appropriate receipts and documents to provide to your accountant to allow a tax-deduction to take place.