Principal's Report 

Dear Parents and Carers,

My apology in the delay with this newsletter getting out on time.

Next week I will be on Long Service Leave from Thursday 28th November until Monday 9th December. I had the opportunity to spend a week with a friend in Hervey Bay. Mrs Mills will be acting Principal in my absence and will be available as required.

School Saving Bonus 2025:

You will notice an additional page in this newsletter called School Saving Bonus. Please take the time to look at the documents in there which outlines how to access the $400 the State Government is providing to every child, to use in 2025. Parents and carers will receive an email next week for each child about how to access the portal you need to use to indicate how you would like the money to be allocated. The emails will be coming out on Tuesday 26th, Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th November. Please note if you have more than one child you will receive an email for each child however you may not receive the emails on the same day. The money can be used on uniforms (including school shoes), or school activities such as camps, excursions, swimming, or year 6 Graduation.

You can combine the allocation of money if you have more than one child, for instance, if you want to use it for camp, which we have booked for 2025 for year 3 - 6 students. For example, if you have a child in year 2 and one in year 5, you can combine the money to pay for the cost of the camp for the year 5 child.

To allocate how you want the money to be used, you need to use the portal set up by the Department. If you need help, Tolley, our Community Engagement Officer, is available Tuesday to Thursday to support parents. Please call the office to make an appointment if you need assistance. 

School Dates for 2025:

Please find the dates for the Victorian School Holidays for the next few years to help plan for family holidays. Please note, apart from 2025, the actual start date may change to a day earlier or later depending on the curriculum days being approved by School Council. The 2025 start dates were approved at the last school council meeting and are set.

Sun Smart Policy:

Due to the high UV ratings from late August to early April, it is a government requirement to have students and staff wear hats whilst outside during these times. Term 4 and Term 1 wearing a hat is compulsory. We need your help with this as we are finding at least 1/3 of students do not have a hat and are refusing to move to a shaded area when directed by an adult. This year has been particularly difficult, with some students swearing at adults when they have been asked to move into the shaded areas. We are fortunate to have many shaded areas around the school, included a playground available for all year levels. Please provide your child with a hat, ensure it is named, so that if it gets lost it can be easily returned to its owner.

Kylie Walters’ Baby:

As most people would know, Ms Walters started family leave mid-way through Term 3 to have her baby. She recently gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Congratulations Kylie on the birth of your baby girl. 

Vaping:

Parents, carers, schools, and community all play an important role in protecting children and young people from, and educating them about, the harmful effects of smoking and vaping. Occasionally children are found to have vapes on them. We always contact parents and carers to let them know.  Research from the Royal Children’s Hospital shows many parents and carers are not aware of the harmful effects or how their views about smoking and vaping can impact the likelihood of a young person taking up smoking or vaping. The Department of Education has developed resources to help you learn more about the health risks of smoking and vaping. The resources include advice about how to talk to children and young people about vaping, and where to get support. To access the resources, go to https://www.vic.gov.au/smoking-and-vaping-advice-parents. You can also view this video on smoking and vaping from experts at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne for health advice and tips for starting a conversation with young people.

High Levels of Learning for All

Michelle Costa

Principal