Things to know

The community members of Launching Place Primary School acknowledge the traditional owners, the Kulin nations, of the land on which we learn and play.

We pay respects to the Aboriginal Elders, past and present, who are our teachers.

We thank them for taking care of children and country for countless generations.

School Music Program is underway with Music from the Soul. Scan the QR code if you would like your child to particiapte. Places are filling fast.

Our Breakfast Club is a wonderful way for students to start the day with a full tummy and a positive mindset. We offer a range of tasty breakfast options for children to enjoy before heading off to class.

If you would like your child to make use of our yummy breakfast foods, please send them to school a little earlier so they have plenty of time to relax, eat, and enjoy their breakfast with friends.

Breakfast Club begins at 8:10am each morning. Please remind your child that if they would like breakfast before school, they should head straight to the Canteen when they arrive at school.

We look forward to seeing lots of happy faces at Breakfast Club!

Be a SunSmart family - SunSmart

Same-Day Notification of Student Absences

-If your child is going to be absent from school, you are required to notify the school before 9:30am on the day of the absence.

You can do this by:

• Entering the absence directly in Compass, or
• Calling the school office on 5964 7783.

Thank you for helping us keep accurate attendance records.

Late Arrivals

 Friendly Reminder – Punctuality Matters

We’d like to remind families how important it is to sign in at the front office if your child arrives late to school. Recently, we’ve noticed a number of students arriving late each day.

When students arrive late:

• They miss valuable instruction time.
• The lesson being taught is disrupted.
• Other students are distracted from their learning.
• On Thursdays, they may even miss the opportunity to put their lunch order in.

Arriving on time helps set positive habits for the future. Just as employers expect punctuality in the workplace, it’s important that students learn this responsibility now.

We ask all families to please make every effort to ensure students arrive at school on time every day. Thank you for your support in helping our students get the best start to their learning each morning.

HATS

A friendly reminder that all students are required to wear a hat during recess and lunchtime in Term 4. Students without a hat will be asked to remain in an undercover area, which may limit their play options during break times.

Thunderstorm asthma season

There is an increased risk of seasonal asthma, hay fever and thunderstorm asthma in Victoria from October to December.

Thunderstorm asthma is triggered by a combination of higher grass pollen levels and a certain type of thunderstorm.

Under these conditions, people are at higher risk of a sudden and serious asthma attack if:

• they have a history of asthma
• their asthma or hay fever is poorly treated.

Thunderstorm asthma can occur even in people who have never had asthma before. You should apply asthma first aid and get emergency help to someone who has any of these symptoms:

• wheezing
• shortness of breath
• chest tightness.

Following an up-to-date asthma action plan or hay fever treatment plan, provided by a GP or specialist, can lesson symptoms of asthma or hay fever and reduce absences from school.

How to prepare for grass pollen season

To prepare for higher grass pollen levels:

• review our Asthma policy and your school’s asthma policy, and ensure appropriate staff are trained in asthma first aid
• ensure all students diagnosed with asthma have an up-to-date asthma action plan, and a student health support plan if required. Check they have the right medication, including relievers (puffers)
• encourage staff and students with a history of seasonal hay fever symptoms to visit a GP if they don’t have a hay fever treatment plan
• record preparations and response actions in your school Emergency Management Plan
• download the VicEmergency app and create a ‘watch zone’ to receive thunderstorm asthma advice and warnings
• ensure your school has an asthma emergency kit with in-date emergency reliever medication (available from a pharmacy without a prescription)
• keep asthma medication readily accessible
• communicate information about thunderstorm asthma and your preparations to your school community – template content is available to help you share this information.

Managing risk

If a thunderstorm is forecast or occurs from October to December:

• avoid having anyone outside, especially during wind gusts that arrive before the storm
• close all doors and windows
• ensure air conditioners are set to recirculate air, and not to bring air in from outside.

At all other times, schools should ventilate rooms with fresh air as much as possible.

For more information about maximising ventilation in schools, including the appropriate use and placement of air purifiers, refer to:

• our Ventilation and Air Purification policy
• the How to use an air purifier fact sheet.