From the Principal

Welcome Back 

Despite the weather being against us at the start of the year, too hot, too cold, too wet, everyone has settled into their new classrooms really well.  We welcome especially 11 new students across the school:

Arsan (1W), Tate (2T), Emma (2T), Matisse, Rebecca, Rose and Apriel (4M, Borna (5/6CN), Sum Te (5/6M), Charli (5/6D) and Jett (5/6G), we welcome you to our school community.

 

To our Foundation students and families we welcome you all and look forward to getting to know you and hope that you feel part of our school community very soon.

 

 As I have walked through the classrooms I have really enjoyed stopping to chat, checking out new uniform items, admiring the Grade 6 jumpers, hearing about the lessons so far.  We are all ready for an excellent year.

Staff & First Day 

We started our school year together as a whole staff working through elements of managing change and how that impacts on our wellbeing.  We also spent time looking at writing across the school and determining writing protocols across the levels and the whole school.  It was a great day to get to know our new staff and prepare for the start of the school year.  

STAFF TEAMS FOR 2020:

Foundation - Narelle Sencek, Lauren Caceras, Helen Reed and Laura Harris

Grade 1 - Simone Williamson

Grade 2 - Margaret Taylor, Kate Raaymakers

Grade 3 - Jenny Verheijden, Ros Hill, Marnie Ross, Bek Mitchell

Grade 4 - Sharon Moloney

Grade 5/6 - Clare Carmichael, Mark Nunis, Emily Murcott, Monique Gleeson, Karen Daniel, Karen Wilson

English as a Additional Language: Lou Brooks

Visual Art - Deanne Lawn

Performing Art - Mark Nunis

Physical Education - Fiona Pumpa

Italian - Angela Zerella

Office  - Kelli Heriot

Assistant Principal - Jenny Verheijden

Principal - Marie Beale

Writing 2020

Across the school there is a buzz about writing.  After investigation of common practices across the school, we have adopted a common approach to the teaching of writing.  All students from Grade 1-6 have an individual Writer's Notebook in which to plant the seeds of their ideas for writing and also a place to record their class lessons on writing.  The Notebook is a place to capture new spellings, record ways to make their writing better by capturing the reader's attention, a place to focus their attention on punctuation and grammar.  Our Foundation students will share a Writer's Notebook with their class and record their learning together, looking back over time to see how much they have learnt.   As the year progresses students will build a repertoire of skills and strategies that they can implement when writing in their classroom and at home.   

Building Update

NEW SCHOOL- After moving from the classrooms and spaces just before the end of last year we were hopeful that removal of asbestos (in external tiles) and demolition, could have happened during the January school holidays.  Unfortunately, this was not possible and we are currently awaiting the appointment of the building contractor.  I am in daily contact with the Project Manager who is keeping me up to date with the plans and next steps.  

 

RETAINING WALLS - Many of you would have noticed the temporary fencing we have placed around retaining walls in the school.  There has been a lot of planning work happening in the background to have these walls fixed.  A design architect is working with the school to plan for extensive restoration and improvement of these walls including disability ramp access to the rear of the property, concrete retaining walls and rock embankments.  We are very excited about the new plans and most especially that the Department of Education is paying for this work.  More updates to come.

Twilight Festival - Tuesday 25 February - 5:30pm

On Tuesday 25th February we will be holding our annual Twilight  Festival.  When our community gathers it is an opportunity to highlight the work we are doing across the school in well being.  On the night of the Festival we will be particularly highlighting working as part of a team, being fair and showing zest and enthusiasm.  

 

The Parent's Association will be running the BBQ with meal deals available to families.  Forms will be sent home to families soon for you to order BBQ items for the picnic.

 

Our Parent's Association will be providing a sign up sheet on the night for the wide range of activities that they run throughout the year.  Your support for these activities is very much appreciated.

 

The Festival is a great opportunity to meet your child's teacher, connect with other families, meet new families and welcome everyone to our community.  Please put it in your family calendar 

Uniform - 2020

We would like to thank all of the families who have gone out of their way to support our new, stricter, uniform policy and implementation.   It is very pleasing to see everyone so neatly attired, including shoes and socks.  Many of our families have welcomed the change and we look forward to seeing everyone looking smart and taking pride in belonging to a school that cares about how we look. 

 

SHORTS - Just a gentle reminder that girls leggings under uniform (except for cultural or religious reasons) and bike shorts worn as shorts on their own, are not part of the school uniform.  Girls shorts are required to be jersey or cotton, lose fitting, near knee length and tracksuit pants on colder days.

 

RAIN JACKETS - The weather this week has allowed a number of children the opportunity to wear the new rain jacket.  The rain jacket does not replace the need for a school jumper.  Jackets are worn when the children head outside to play, therefore children still require a jumper for the classroom.  We thank you for your understanding here.

 

HATS - Wide brimmed hats can be purchased at the office for $14 by yourself or your child.   We will name the hat before it is worn.

 

SECOND-HAND UNIFORM - We are always very happy to receive second-hand uniform items and can be dropped off at the school office.  For these items to be useful they must have the eagle logo on them.  We are no longer accepting uniform items that contain the  boomerang logo.  These second-hand items are available for purchase at a very reasonable price, via the school office.

 

STATE SCHOOLS RELIEF - State School's Relief is a state wide service that provides families in need with vouchers to help alleviate the cost of uniform items that have the school logo on them.  

 

Check out these photos:

 

Traffic

The school boundary roads are frequently visited by Maroondah City Council Traffic Officers who will photograph your car if it is parked in places it should not be.  To avoid a $175 fine we recommend that families park on Wonga Road or at the North Ringwood Football oval and use the supervised crossings to walk the short distance to school.  

 

The flow of traffic is also important and there is an agreed practice with Norwood Secondary College that traffic travels north up Panfield and down Byron St at all pick up and drop off times.  This avoids people squeezing their cars through tight spaces.

 

Your cooperation and understanding in these matters is important.

Medical/Health needs

Maintaining up-to-date medical and health records is very important.  If your child has an identified medical condition or health need, your child's classroom teacher will be in contact with you over the next two weeks to go through medical information the school already has about your child and will be updating this information.  If you have a newly diagnosed condition, or are worried about a condition, please call the office to make a time to meet with me to run through the medical plan together.  

 

First Aid trained staff are available every day at school, on camps and excursions. All staff undertake Anaphylaxis training on a six monthly basis and every second year complete online training and assessment for administering an epipen.  Asthma training is provided to all staff and will be conducted again for all staff this year.

Evacuation Procedures

In week two of every term we drill the whole school in evacuation procedures.  This is a Department of Education, mandated, practice.

 

There are four types of evacuation drills we perform:

- On-Site evacuations - All students, staff and visitors evacuate to the end of the school oval.

- Shelter-in-place - All students, staff and visitors shelter in the hall

- Off-Site - All students, staff and visitors evacuate to North Ringwood Football oval

- Lock-Down - All students, staff and visitors evacuate to the nearest classroom or lockable space and lock themselves in.

 

Today we are practicing our On-Site evacuation with everyone in the school.  Our teachers will talk with all students before and after the evacuation, reassuring and encouraging conversation about the need for everyone to be safe.  As a staff we evaluate the drill to make any required adjustments to ensure the safety of all people on site.