From Our School Leaders

State School Spectacular – Show Time

The time has finally arrived for the BIG SHOW on this Saturday at John Cain Arena. There are 2 performances - one at 1.00pm and one at 6.30pm. Lots of work has gone into practising the dances, and Rachel Crofts has led them through the experience. She has also dealt with the behind-the-scenes organisation and logistics of the event. It wouldn’t be happening without her. Thank you so much, Rachel, for all of your work!

Students get two full days of rehearsals until they are on. The days are long and tiring, but it is a fabulous experience. We will let you know when the event is televised this year; it is usually in December. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates along the way.

Attendance

Last week, our Regional Office sent out their termly data check-in for attendance. The Regional Office flags any student who has missed more than 5 days per term as an issue, and asks schools to follow up and monitor children who have a high absenteeism from school.

It is well understood by schools that children get sick, and when they are sick they are better off at home resting for a day or two. Children are not expected at school when they are ill. The other event which is now coming into play is families taking holidays during term. We also understand it is cheaper for families to go away on holiday during the term.

With all of the above in mind, we are now seeing a large proportion of our students getting close to over 20 days of absence so far this year. There are 64 Scoresby Primary School children who have been identified as missing more than 12.5 days this year so far, with 25 of them already over 20+ days of absence this year. Some of them have been identified as at risk.

The Kids Research Institute of Australia conducted a study into school attendance for the Australian government to find the effects on students:

Each day of school missed makes a difference, with the effect on learning accumulating over time. From an early age, if children are taught that they need to 'show up' for school and make a commitment, this positive mentality aids academic and career success and brings benefits in adulthood.

After conducting research for the Australian Government Department of Education, our researchers found there is a real need to develop new initiatives to encourage parents to understand the value of regular school attendance, even from a very young age, and to establish stable and beneficial routines for attending school.

Research Topic: Kids School Attendance (thekids.org.au)

We would like to see our attendance rates improve next term. We are carefully monitoring the children who have 20+ days of absenteeism already.

Please speak with your classroom teacher if you have any concerns about your child’s absences, or you may wish to make a time to see one of us to discuss the matter further.

We will be sending letters home to families of children who have more than 20+ days of absence at the end of term.

R U OKAY Day?

R U OK? Day is an annual national day of action, that reminds us that every day is the right day to ask, ‘Are you okay’?

This year, R U OK? Day is on Thursday 12th September. The theme, ‘Ask R U OK? Any Day because life happens every day’, highlights the importance of regularly checking in with those around us.

Got a feeling that someone you know or care about isn’t behaving as they normally would? Perhaps they seem out of sorts?
More agitated or withdrawn?
Or they’re just not themselves.

Trust that gut instinct and act on it. Learn more about the signs and when it's time to ask R U OK? here.

By starting a conversation and commenting on the changes you’ve noticed, you could help that family member, friend or workmate open up. If they say they are not OK, you can follow our conversation steps to show them they’re supported and help them find strategies to better manage the load. If they are OK, that person will know you’re someone who cares enough to ask.

School Fees / Parent Payments

Last week, the Department of Education made their announcement about the School Saving Bonus. This bonus is a one-off payment of $400 per student, to support families in Victoria with school costs for the 2025 school year. This payment is coming to families via email. All SPS families were sent a reminder to update any changed email addresses to avoid missing the email details about the bonus due out on the 18th of November 2024.

A friendly reminder that your 2024 school fees can be paid at any time at the school office. We know there are financial pressures and daily cost of living concerns everywhere, but this also applies to schools trying to equipment and supplies for your children.

Currently we have just over 50% of our annual school fees paid. We would appreciate any contribution towards the outstanding school fees that families can afford.

Workforce Planning For 2025

We are beginning our 2025 workforce planning. If you intending to leave Scoresby Primary School at the end of the year, please let Sue know. It greatly assists us in planning for the year to come. If you know of anyone moving into the area, please recommend they book a tour of our wonderful school. We have places available across the school.

Whooping Cough

Whooping cough cases are continuing to increase across Victoria, particularly among school-aged children.

Whooping cough is a very contagious infection, mostly spread through coughing or sneezing. Symptoms include:

blocked or runny nose
tiredness
mild fever
severe bouts of coughing, often followed by a ‘whooping’ sound on breathing.

Whooping cough can lead to life threatening infections in babies.

If your child is unwell, they should not attend school. Please see a doctor if you or your child develops whooping cough symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment will help reduce the spread of the infection.

STUDENTS DIAGNOSED WITH WHOOPING COUGH MUST NOT ATTEND SCHOOL.

If your child is diagnosed with whooping cough, they must not attend school for 21 days after the onset of the cough, or until they have received 5 days of antibiotic treatment. You must notify the school if your child is diagnosed with whooping cough.

To further reduce the spread of infection to your child and the school community, the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2019 require that some students who were in the same classroom as a student diagnosed with whooping cough should not attend school.

Your child should not attend school for 14 days after they were last exposed to a person diagnosed with whooping cough, or until they have taken 5 days of a course of antibiotic treatment if they are:

aged less than 7 years; and
not fully vaccinated with 3 doses of whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine.

This exclusion is required by law – refer to the School exclusion table for primary schools and children’s services.

If your child is diagnosed with whooping cough, please contact the school to let us know. I hope we can work together to protect the whole school community by following the recommended advice.

More Information

For more information about whooping cough, refer to Whooping cough on the Better Health Channel.

Vaccination is the best way to reduce the risk of whooping cough. The Department of Health recommends staying up to date with immunisations, including booster doses. A free booster dose of the pertussis vaccine is covered under the national immunisation program for students aged 12 to 13. If you are unsure about your child’s vaccination status for whooping cough, please discuss with an immunisation provider, such as your doctor.

I really appreciate your support in keeping our students safe and well.

SUE HARTLEY AND NICOLE RHEUMER

Scoresby Primary School Leaders