Principals Message
Dear TCPS Families,
End of term 1
An 11 week term now over, and still without fully escaping the lingering impact of a COVID world, has certainly provided it challenges. But in true TCPS style, our community has once again survived and flourished.
Our student enrolment has continued to increase (currently 540 students) but we remain fully committed to identify and obtain the absolute best human resources we can to support this growing enrolment.
I remain, as always, in awe of the support of the TCPS staff. They are collective a very unique group of people that makes our teaching and learning environment an absolute pleasure to be involved in.
We would also like to wish our school community a relaxing and safe break. Thank you for the gift of your children and the positive support you provide the staff. It is always much appreciated and ensures they all remain enthusiastically keen to return to TCPS in their typically positive and supportive style!
Professional Practice Day Term 2 - Pupil Free day
Schools have been recently informed by DET that we need to nominate a day in term 2 when students are not required to attend - and the staff work explicitly on building their teaching practice skills and knowledge.
I am fully aware this is far from ideal for families but I will work with our school council early next term in order to determine a day that best minimises the obvious disruption that this will cause to our families.
Rapid Antigen Testing
The Victorian Government has announced it is extending the RAT screening program for the first 4 weeks of Term 2. Thank you to all students and families who have played their role in regularly testing – we know that hasn’t been easy.
Your work has seen COVID-19 cases being picked up at the earliest opportunity, meaning less cases in our school and more time in the classroom for our students.
The testing recommendations will remain the same next Term for students and staff with:
* Mainstream schools – recommended to test at home twice a week
Special Visitor to TCPS
We had a very special visitor turn up at TCPS on our very last day of term 1, with a chocolate gift for all of our students Coles Torquay very kindly again donating these chocolate gifts - enough for all students. The special guest - well they just like coming to our very special TCPS.
Coles also donated water and fruit for all our cross country runners on the 7th April - last week of term. We greatly appreciate these enormous gestures of support from our local Coles Supermarket.
2022 School Council Members:
- Kelsey Jamieson – President
- Cat McConkey– Parent Rep
- Hutch Hussein – Parent Rep
- Sophie Young – Vice President
- Brad Millar – Parent Rep
- Matt Corlett – Parent Rep
- Darren Roskosch (Principal - Executive Officer of SC)
- Jo Loader (Assistant Principal – teacher rep)
- Bianca McSparron (Business Manager - Finance)
2022 Leaders
School Captains
Tilly Moreton
Isabella Hall
Hunter Montgomery
Owen Gleeson
House Captains
Bells Beach
Samara Spagnuolo
Evie Mansfield
Jack Maddocks
Finn Hayes
Cosy Corner
Felix Hanser-Laurie
Bailey Nicholson
Tara Petrakis
Josie Mant
Point Danger
Madalan Little
Indi Ballis
Jackson Sammut
Aaron Alexander
Zeally Bay
Oliver Swan
Dylan Eric
Mylen Van Delden
Bowie Wilkinson
STEM Captains
Nathan Brooker
Albie Weber
Ruby Calthorpe
Charli O’Loughlin
Josie Kelly
Art Captains
Kennedy Spaull
Ethan Brooker
Phoebe Polizzi
Haven Gordon
Gate Times
A reminder to parents that our gates are opened at approximately 8.30am each morning by our school officer. Victorian public schools are only permitted to allow students onsite when supervision is available. We are opening our gates at 8.30am to encourage a staggered arrival at school and to encourage social distancing.
Yard supervision, as per Department of Education requirements, is in place 15 minutes prior to the commencement of the school day during usual operations, but will be in place from 8.30am while we are supporting a staggered start to the day.
Our School Officer commences the gate run with the Bike Gate first, moving up the hill to the Front Gate and finishing with the Legacy Drive gate. Once the green corridor development is completed on the South boundary, we will also be looking to open up an access gate in that location.
A reverse order for closure occurs at approximately 9.10am.
If you need to send or drop your child/ren off earlier due to work commitments etc, please know that the YMCA provide an onsite Before and After School Care service. The YMCA will need to be contacted directly to arrange that care. www.childrensprograms.ymca.org .au (03 4755 9735)
Masks
The requirement to wear masks in different settings can change quite quickly. Once again, masks are required to be worn in all indoor venues, including schools, unless direct teaching is involved. This applies to students in year 3 and above, school staff and visitors to our school. We have again placed a reminder on our office door for parents to please wear a mask when entering the school office area.
2022 Home Group Structures
As our school has moved into our 5th year of existence, it continues to grow as expected.
2018: 127 students (Inaugural year)
2019: 238 students
2020: 361 students
2021: 469 students
2022: 539 students
2022 Homegroups
Prep A - Mrs Ryan
Prep B - Mrs Greenhough
Prep C - Miss Gunn
Prep D - Mrs Webb
Prep E - Miss Jones
1A - Ms Pettit
1B - Mrs Isbel
1C - Ms Bode
1D - Mrs King
1E - Miss Hinkley
2A - Mrs Morton
2B - Miss Dangerfield
2C - Ms Strong
2D - Mr Norton
3A - Mr Dahl
3B - Miss Brasier
3C - Mr Francis
3D - Mrs Reid and Mrs Curran
4A - Mrs Rayner
4B - Mr Bonner
4C - Mr Findling
5/6A - Mr Kiss
5/6B - Ms Scanlan
5/6C - Mr Cuthbertson
5/6D - Miss Marie
DET Mandates
Please remember that Face Masks required for all students in Grades 3 – 6 (indoors only) unless there is an exemption.
- Masks exemptions include: Physical or mental disability
- Medical conditions such as asthma qualify as an exemption – but if unsure please contact your child’s teacher.
- Parent/carers of a student/s who meet the criteria for an exceptionMUST provide their approval in writing to the school for their child/ren to not wear a mask. Please feel free to email your child’s teacher or the school office – torquay.coast.ps@education.vic.gov.au
- Parents/carers are NOT required to provide a certificate from a medical practitioner,a simple written statement is totally fine.
- We have a limited supply of masks that we can provide students if they require a mask so it is hoped students will bring their own.
- Our aim has always been to create an environment where all our students feel safe, supported and comfortable, despite the many challenges COVID 19 has provided.
Tutor Learning Initiative
The 2020 and 2021 school year was an extraordinary and challenging one for every school community. We know that the remote learning experience was different for every student. While some students thrived, some students may not have engaged as fully with remote learning and will benefit from additional learning support in 2022.
In acknowledgement of this, the Victorian Government has committed funding towards the Tutor Learning Initiative to support students who may need extra assistance with their learning.
At TCPS we have employed a number of extra staff, over and above the funding, to ensure all students in need have access to extra support. These staff members will be working closely with home group teachers to provide targeted support.
Mrs Chapman and Mrs South have also returned from family leave to provide explicit support in this area. They will be working predominantly with our grade 1 students, whilst all of our learning neighbourhoods have an extra staff member to support this intervention program. Students may have direct contact with these staff, or work in smaller groupings with their home group teacher.
With additional teachers in the neighbourhood, we will be able to provide explicit support to a wider range of students. This will also allow the classroom teacher the opportunity to educationally engage more closely with individual students during learning time. This way all students benefit from the program.
TCPS has already supported and staffed intervention support since its inception, and our aim is to also make this program sustainable beyond the current funding. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate in contacting your child’s home group teacher.
TCPS Assembly
Just a reminder that due to COVID restrictions unfortunately we are not yet able to have parents attend our weekly assembly. Not having our student families at our assembly is a massive loss for our school and I look forward to that changing hopefully in the near future. Assembly is just not the same without our parents/grandparents.