From the Principal's Desk

Important Dates! 🗓️

**Please note the final day of school for students is the 18th of December - finish time 3pm**

We have two handover/preparation days for staff on the 19th & 20th of December - these are student free days.

Following the summer holidays, school returns in 2024 on the 30th January. 

Christmas Dress Up Day! 🎄

To celebrate our last Friday for 2023, our Student Representative Council (SRC) would like everyone to come along for a Christmas Dress Up Day next Friday! 

Students and staff are encouraged to dress up in festive clothes (or casual clothes) to get in the Christmas spirit. 

Flat Pack Superstars! 💪

Some of our Senior staff and students put their problem-solving skills to the test last week building additional shelving units for Verney Road Fresh Food. 

We now have even more room for stock in the supermarket! A great effort by all - team work makes the dream work.

School Holiday Activities 😁

Please make sure you look at the 'Community Notices' page of the newsletter for plenty of fun school holiday activities available around the local area. 

Cooking, pool parties, craft activities and more! Many of them are free and a great way to fill in the days! 

Mobile Phone Ban in Schools 📵

A reminder that the Department of Education has in place a mobile phone ban that requires students who bring mobiles phones to school to have them switched off and securely put away during school hours.

The ban applies equally to all government schools right across the state.

This helps ensure that school is a learning environment free from unnecessary distractions and disruptions.

By ensuring mobile phones are kept away at recess and lunch times, students can interact with each other face-to-face, without the distractions and social pressures that mobile phones can cause.

I ask for the support of all our families, staff and students in continuing to support the implementation of this policy in our school.

Further information

• Exceptions: For a small number of students with particular health needs, an exception to the policy may be granted. Please contact Angela Buxton if you would like to discuss this.
• Emergencies: In the event of an emergency or if you need to immediately contact your child, I ask that families contact the school office who will pass on a message as required.

School mobile phone policy: A copy of our school’s local mobile phone policy, which implements the government’s mobile policy in line with our local context, is available here: 

Parent support: The Mobile phones in schools webpage provides links to resources for families to help them balance their children’s time using mobile phones.

If you have further questions, please contact the office.

Christmas Raffle Donations 🎁

We would like to remind the VRS community of our Annual Christmas Raffle and put a final call out for prize donations please. 

Donations can be anything - sweet treats, craft activities, candles, toys, Christmas themed goodies etc. 

We ask that prizes please be dropped into the school front office unwrapped by Wednesday the 13th December.  

The raffle will be drawn at the whole school assembly on Friday the 15th December. 

Your support and generosity are greatly appreciated!

Christmas Food Hamper Items 🎄

In the lead up to Christmas and school holidays our wellbeing team will be putting together food hampers for VRS families in need. 

Anyone who would like to donate items for these hampers is welcome to please drop them into the school office. 

We know this year has been tough for a lot of families - if you are struggling or concerned heading into the summer holidays please reach out and ask to talk to Sarah K or Danielle. 

Your Thanks is all we Need🎁! 

Staff really appreciate your thanks as we go into the Christmas break.  As part of this, although small gifts are very much appreciated, they are in no way expected at all. 

Merry Christmas to All 🎅🤶

Just a reminder that our whole school assembly will be held on Friday 15th December 10 am at the Greater Shepparton Secondary College Stadium on Hawdon Street.  We hope to see as many of our parents, carers and families there as possible as this is always a great celebration.

School reports will be sent home in students' bags on Thursday 14th December. Any students who aren't at school on this day will have their report posted out. 

There will be lots of in class celebrations during the week before the Friday assembly. On Monday 18th December students who come to school will support staff in moving classrooms.

Please note that Tuesday 19th and Wednesday 20th December are Student Free Days as staff participate in professional learning.

As this will be our last newsletter for 2023, we thank you all for your cooperation and support; it is very much appreciated.  We wish you all a very happy Christmas and holiday season and we look forward to seeing you all again when school starts on Tuesday 30th January 2024.

We would also like to farewell staff and students who are leaving us including :

• Alice Peters
• Arna Sutherland
• Caleb Taulapapa
• Charlie Vagg
• Ebony Alexander
• Emily McDonald
• Jasmine Thorneycroft 
• Jessi Hicks
• Jocelyn Macrow
• Mikayla Bright
• Olivia Clark
• Prudence Dobson

There will be a lot of new faces next year which we will introduce to you in our first newsletter in February.

Enjoy your weekend and have a safe holidays 😄