Team Foundation News
Responsible Pet Ownership incursion
On Tuesday 4th of March, team Foundation had a visit from a member from Responsible Pet Ownership Victoria. Leonie and Prancer came to teach the students how to be safe around pets and how to be responsible pet owners.
Leonie and Prancer taught us many important things such as:
- How we can keep our pets safe by putting named collars with your telephone number around their necks, inserting microchips into the bodies of your pet and registering them with your local council
- How to keep safe if an angry dog runs up to you on the street
- When to never touch a dog, and
- How to ask an owner to pat their dog and the safest way to approach a dog
Leonie made learning all this information fun and engaging by telling the students stories, singing songs and watching videos.
Firstly Leonie taught the students what to do if an angry dog runs up to you. How do you know if a dog is angry? Usually they show their teeth, the fur on the back of their necks are standing up and they make a growling noise.
Step 1 - Stand still
Step 2 - Put your hands by your side and put them down next to your side
Step 3 - Be quiet as a mouse
Step 4 - Look at the ground, not at the dog
Next Leonie also taught the students times when you should leave dogs alone.
1- when dogs are eating
2- when dogs are tied up waiting for their owner
3- when dogs are sleeping
4- when mother dogs have puppies
5- when dogs are sick or hurt
Finally Leonie taught the students how to ask for permission to meet and touch another person’s dog.
Step 1 - Walk up slowly to the person and their dog and stop (about 3 steps away)
Step 2 - Ask the owner for permission to pat their dog
Step 3 - Hold your hands in a fist. Walk towards the dog in a curved line and allow the dog to smell your hand
Step 4 - Stroke the dog on their back, never on their head.
Leonie also gave all the Foundation students a worksheet to take home which will help students to remember the lessons that were shared. She also gave all students a Living Safely with Pets brochure that has lots of information that can keep your child safe around animals. Parents can also go to this website www.pettown.vic.gov.au,a free website that you can explore with your child. Your child can play activities on this site that will help them to stay safe around dogs.
What a wonderful session with Leonie and Prancer! All Foundation students learnt valuable lessons that will definitely keep them safe in their community.
Echi Echidna 2025 Adventures!
At the beginning of Week 5 Maura was the next person in FKJ to share her exciting adventures with Echi Echidna. Echi had many adventures with Maura. His first activity was to help Maura with her handwriting homework. Echi made sure that Maura was taking her time and writing carefully on the lines. Next, Echi went to a cafe and ate chicken nuggets and fries. Yummy! Sunday was a very hot day so Maura made sure that Echi was looking after his eyes by wearing sunglasses. Afterwards they all went to Maura's Dads workplace. Maura and Echi helped to plant some vegetable seeds. Such great helpers! The last activity that they shared together was to play with Maura's LOL dolls! What fun! Thank you so much Maura for sharing your fantastic adventures with your grade. We all enjoyed listening to your adventures with Echi!
In Week 6 Mason happily shared his exciting Echi adventures with the class.
Mason had more fun adventures with this cuddly fellow! First Mason took Echi to visit his Grandparents. Echi also met Mason's favourite uncle Deon! They played lots of games together and looked at Pokemon cards. Next, Mason taught Echi how to ride a scooter! You are so brave Echi! Echi also met one of Mason's toy friends, Bear. The next day Mason took Echi to a restaurant and they ate pizza and carbonara pasta! Delicious! Afterwards Mason shared his favourite lychee and apple sorbet with Echi. The last activity that Mason and Echi shared was to go and explore the Lego store together. Mason showed Echi his favourite Lego sets and they built a few creations together. What great fun!
Thank you Mason for sharing this fun week with Echi - we thoroughly enjoyed listening to your fun tales!
We look forward to seeing and hearing about more Echi adventures in the future!
Kirstin Jones
Foundation Teacher