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 exception MUST 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.

Community Notices