From the Principal

Dear Parents and Friends,

Our prep students have made a fantastic start despite a few tears.  This is completely normal and something we manage each year.  Not every child is the same and we certainly don’t expect them to adjust to school in the same way.  In general, our students have settled into school. There will always be behaviours we need to address as children are still learning and do make poor choices, just as we did when we were at school. 

When students make poor choices we have a brilliant opportunity to model appropriate behaviour and teach them how to respond. As adults, we teach through our actions and words, both positively and negatively.  When another child does something that makes your child feel uncomfortable, staying calm and discussing how they feel and how they can manage themselves is more likely to help them in the long run than becoming upset and angry. This is equally important when children make poor choices, allowing children to place the blame elsewhere teaches them that they had no option, it is not their fault and takes away the need to reflect and learn. What we try to do at school in all circumstances is help children reflect on what they did and felt and how they might change their response the next time even when it is clear that they did not cause a situation.

Positive school environments are important and everyone has the right to be safe and play a shared role in being respectful. Everyone at school, particularly staff and parents/carers, plays a role in making school a better place for learning and work.

Respectful behaviours are important in building strong, healthy, and thriving school communities. 

School staff in Victorian Government schools have to follow the Respectful Workplaces Policy to build and maintain a respectful workplace, including:

• treating each other with respect and consideration
• being inclusive, valuing others, and accepting their differences
• recognising the efforts and achievements of others
• considering our impact on others
• calling out and addressing behaviour that can lead to bullying, harassment, and discrimination.

By treating everyone with respect, parents/carers and schools can make sure students feel supported and cared for.  It also sets an example for how we expect people to behave.

I encourage all parents and carers to read our Respectful Behaviours within the School Community Policy.

Uniform

School uniform is compulsory at Lysterfield Primary School and is limited to the items on the uniform list. The uniform list is available on page 25 of the Parent Handbook, with all items available at Klad Sport. Whilst school tops (jumpers/t-shirts etc.) have a logo on them and must be bought from Klad, shorts, tracksuit pants and skirts may be available from Target and other larger stores.

The following are not permitted:

• Bike shorts
• Leggings
• and branded clothing that has a visible logo

Throughout the year the Parents and Friends Association will run several second-hand uniform sales. If you have any uniform that is no longer needed feel free to drop it into the office so that we can add it to the stock for our next sale.

Have a great weekend!

Adam Wight, Principal