Principal's Report

It's terrific to once again be able to say we have a busy term ahead of us filled with learning, activities, incursions, camp, interschool sport and Education Week to name a few. The students have confidently settled back into their learning routines and we continue to promote school wide positive behaviours in our daily practice. 

We started the week with our Junior School Council's ANZAC Day ceremony. Thank you to our JSC and Mr Fussell and to our students who displayed respectful behaviours throughout the service. It was wonderful to see parents and friends in attendance. 

Yesterday Rosalie - School Captain, Cooper -Vice Captain and I attended the Manningham Rotary ANZAC Day service which was attended by many dignitaries and student representatives from all Manningham schools. 

From Cooper...

I am very happy to have been invited to participate in the City of Manningham’s annual school ANZAC service. There were representatives from primary schools and high schools around the area. The representatives of each school in the area had to lay a wreath. We then listened to some speakers, the last post, the New Zealand anthem and the Australian national anthem. I am very pleased to have been chosen to go to the service with Rosalie and Ms Dyos.

Lock the date in your diaries and come celebrate our 2022 Education Week fun!

Term 2 Working Bee - May 15 

9am-11am

Open to all families from all year levels

Mother's Day Stall

We're saying goodbye to Konnective and hello to Compass...

As you know we are phasing out Konnective (our online app) and moving fully to Compass from Friday May 6, 2022.

Student Attendance:

• Full Day Absence: 

Parents/Carers (prior to 9am) are now required to record student absences via Compass, taking away the need to phone the school.

• Appointments/High School Tours etc: 

Parents/Carers (prior to 9am) are to register the absence for the morning session.

Upon arrival at school, with your child sign in via the Kiosk (in the Office).

• Late arrivals: After 9am: This is a change from our previous practice where a late arrival was considered 9.15am. Late arrival is now after 9.00am
• Parents/Carers after 9am, please ensure that you walk your child up to the office to sign them in via the Compass kiosk. Please give the printed slip to your child’s teacher.
• Early Departures:

Parents/Carers please ensure that you come to the office first and sign your child out using the online kiosk and then deliver the printed slip to your child’s class teacher prior to collecting your child. Please note: In line with our Child Safe practices, teachers cannot release students without receiving the printed slip.

 Compass will now be used for but not limited to the following;

 1. Compass will the platform for communication from the school, superseding Konnective.

 2. Parents will be able to directly email teachers from Compass.

 3. Excursions/Events permission slips will be uploaded on Compass.

 4. Payment for most ‘opt in’ excursions/events will be processed through Compass.

 5. Grade 3 - 6 Student Learning Diaries (SLD) will be uploaded onto Compass for parents/carers to view.

 6. School reports will be viewed on Compass and will be available for downloading and printing by parents/carers.

 7. Parents/Carers will be able to book Parent Teacher Interviews.

For your convenience please download the Compass App onto your phone. Any families who did not receive their log in details, please contact Jo for assistance on 9844 2757.

There are always teething problems when moving to a new system, so I kindly ask we work together in its implementation. Please call us if you have any concerns or issues and we will endeavour to assist you.

Victorian High-Ability Program

The Victorian High-Ability program provides up to 48,000 high-ability students in Years 5 to 8 at government schools the opportunity to participate in 10-week online extension and enrichment programs, in English and mathematics.

The virtual program, delivered by Virtual School Victoria, focuses on extending and developing students' mathematical and English abilities.

After completing the virtual program, students participate in a face-to-face masterclass with other high-ability students from schools in their local area. All masterclasses will incorporate the latest COVID-19 advice and risk mitigation strategies to maintain a safe environment for students and staff.

The Department is centrally managing the selection process for the program based on student academic performance. 

Congratulations to the following students who have been selected for the Victorian High Ability Program in Term 2. This is an outstanding opportunity which focuses on extending and developing students in their Mathematical and English abilities. 

For English, congratulations Leo and Aiden. 

For Mathematics, congratulations to: Zac, Koby, Silas, Max, Hamish, Adam, Archer and Taj.

This is a wonderful achievement!

A big thank you to Ms M who will be coordinating this program for us and supporting the students with this.

NAPLAN 2022

Brooke Eastwood brooke.eastwood@education.vic.gov.au NAPLAN coordinator 2022

School Wide Positive Behaviour Support Initiative- SWPBS - “Be your Best”

Our staff are being trained in the initiative SWPBS and we would like to communicate the school’s approach at ACPS with you. Our commitment is to develop students who are resilient, caring and connected with each other and the community. Our goal is to establish and maintain a positive and supportive community, where we are inclusive and mindful of others.

Within this safe environment, students are encouraged to fulfil their social, physical, emotional and academic potential. All students are encouraged to be kind and always to “be your best”.

Acknowledgements for positive behaviours:

• Smiley faces – staff are constantly on the lookout for any positive behaviours in the classroom or the playground, and a smiley face sticker is awarded to students.
• You Are Great (YAGA) – Staff nominate students each week for YAGA Awards. In Assembly students are awarded a YAGA certificate to take home. We are building student capacity and would encourage families to continue the celebration at home following the “surprise” of getting a YAGA.

Please see the attachment for the following:

• School positive behaviour matrix
• Positive behaviour expectations and acknowledgement

Feedback:

• Do you have any comments regarding how you could reinforce these positive behaviours at home and at school which we can share with the community? Please email meredith.thornton@education.vic.gov.au.

COVID Updates

Some key points to be aware of :

Face masks

• From 11:59 pm Friday 22 April, face masks, while recommended, are not required in any school setting. This means students in grades 3 to 6, staff and visitors in primary schools are no longer required to wear face masks. Any student or staff member who wishes to wear a mask may do so, including those who are medically at-risk.

Screening requirements

• Students and staff who have tested positive for COVID-19, and have completed their 7-day isolation period, now do not need to undertake rapid antigen test (RAT) screening for 12 weeks after their release from isolation. This was previously 8 weeks.

Household contacts

• Students and staff who are household contacts of a COVID-19 case are no longer required to quarantine. They can return to school as long as they undertake rapid antigen tests (RAT) 5 times within their 7-day period and wear face masks indoors if they are aged 8 and above unless they have a valid exemption.  
• If any household contact returns a positive RAT result during this period, they must isolate for 7 days and not attend school.

Vaccination requirements for visitors to schools

• Parents, carers and other adult visitors (not performing work) are no longer required to show evidence of two doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Community use of school facilities

• Schools will no longer need to request evidence of vaccination of staff or workers from external community groups who use premises outside the school’s normal operating hours.

RAT screening program extension reminder

• The supply of RATs will continue for the first 4 weeks of this term. The screening recommendations remain the same:
• mainstream schools – recommended to test at home twice a week

Have a happy and safe weekend...

Sue Dyos