A Word from the Principal 

A Warm Welcome to our Weeden Heights Community

Welcome back to term three!  That break certainly went way too quickly so I hope you have all enjoyed having your children home for the holidays.  This is our first newsletter for the term. 

Return to Masks in Schools for Students and Staff

On Tuesday all families received a message via School Stream to announce a return to masks in schools.  I hope that everyone can support this as there have been significant absences due to the Flu and Covid (as expected) at our school.  The department is strongly recommending masks for all staff and students while inside the building.  Students will be able to have a mask break outside.  They of course are welcome to wear masks outside as well.

All of our staff are triple vaccinated and many of us are starting to have our fourth vaccinations.  We are committed to keeping our unvaccinated students as safe as we possibly can. 

I would also like to remind you that we are ensuring that students continue to sanitise their hands on entry to the rooms and we have two air purifiers in each learning space.  Providing filtration has been incredible as it has allowed us to close the doors and windows during the Winter months.  It has made a massive difference!

Thank you so much to our parents who are promptly reporting absences through School Stream.   We really appreciate being notified on the day and it does save you getting a phone call from your child’s class teacher.  Please stay well and safe everyone. 

Rock and Roll Trivia Night

Just a reminder that the School Council’s Trivia Night is on next Saturday night.  You have one more week to purchase your tickets or to get a table of 10 together. Please don’t worry if you haven’t got a table of 10, as we will happily place you together on a table with others. It is a great way to meet people in our community (finally!).

It’s a dress up event so I can’t wait to see everyone in their 1950’s gear. You may even see a few props from our production from 3 years ago.  Please get behind our major fundraising event for the year.  Everyone is welcome so you may absolutely invite family and neighbours to our school. 

A warm thank you to our families who have donated items and vouchers from their businesses for our silent auctions and prizes.  Your ongoing support is amazing!

Lady Northcote Camp

I hope everyone has been following our Facebook posts as you will see some fabulous photos of our students on camp.  It has been tremendous to finally have our students away after not having the opportunity to go on a camp for the last three years.  Our current year 6’s had their last camp when in year 3 and our year 2 – 5’s have the excitement of their very first camp. 

Thank you for completing the morning RAT testing prior to camp.  I’m crossing my fingers that this screening process will assist with a successful safe return of all students. 

Camps are so important for developing students socially and personally while completing their outdoor education component of the PE curriculum.  It is terrific to have this program so well supported by our community and thank you to all the parents who came along to the information session and who also braved the rain on Monday morning, to say goodbye to the campers. 

The students have been excellent from all reports and I am heading over to camp on Wednesday and Thursday to work with the year 5 and 6 students which is exciting. I love to see our students learning and working together outside the classroom. 

The students will be completing follow up work on their return to school that they will share with families.  Take some time on the weekend to discuss camp with your child.  Their camp book will help prompt them but they will have loads to share with you. 

Student Led Conferences

This week (and next for Years 3 – 6) you will have participated in student led conferences with your child and their teacher.  It is an excellent opportunity for your child to take responsibility for their learning and discuss the evidence that they have produced to support the teacher’s judgements in the school reports. 

Senior students will share their online portfolios through the Google Classroom and they have been supported to highlight their learning through their exemplars.  Junior student conferences were run a little differently as their portfolios are in physical folders.    Many parents were given the opportunity to meet on site to view the portfolios but many have chosen online.  It’s amazing now we have these new skills!

The main focus of the conference is for students to share work samples that they feel proud of and are prepared to discuss with you the learning that takes place.  Thank you to the teachers for supporting them in this process as well.  There are some parents who have not booked a meeting so unfortunately some students will be very disappointed as they will not have opportunity to talk through their portfolio with their parents and help develop future learning goals.  If you did not book for a student led conference, then please take time at home to discuss the portfolio when it does come home or through the Google Classroom as the children have put a lot of work into them. 

School Community Safety Order Scheme (from the Department of Education)

Schools are positive places of learning where everyone has a right to a safe and healthy learning environment. Schools are also workplaces, and school staff deserve to work in an environment where they don’t feel threatened or unsafe. 

From Term 3, 2022, the School Community Safety Order Scheme (Scheme) will come into effect in all Victorian schools. This Scheme allows principals and other authorised persons to issue ongoing or immediate school community safety orders that place limitations on the way certain parents, carers or other adults who act in a harmful, abusive or threatening way behave towards staff, students or others in the school community. 

Click here for more information about the Scheme, including a short video that provides an overview of the Scheme. 

This Scheme provides a range of safeguards for people who may be subject to an order and their child. For example, before issuing an ongoing school community safety order, an authorised person must consider the person’s response to the notice to issue an order and how an order may impact their child. Orders can only be issued as a last resort option if it is the least restrictive option to address the behaviour. To read more about the protections built into the Scheme for parents, carers and other adults who may be subject to an order (including information on appeal rights), access the Department’s website. 

1. Everyone at school, particularly staff and parents/carers, play a role in making school a better place for learning and work. The Respectful Behaviours within the School Community Policy outlines the shared roles of parents, carers and school staff in creating a positive environment for learning. 
2. Our mutual objective is to support your child’s education. To do this, we ask that feedback and complaints are both constructive and respectful. Parents are reminded to follow the school’s complaints policy or process or the Department’s Complaints Policy if you wish to raise any constructive and respectful feedback.
3. You can find the Respectful Behaviours within the School Community Policy and other resources to build a positive relationship with our school community here.

2023 Enrolments

I would like to remind families with children who will be beginning school in 2023 that we are still able to take enrolments.    Enrolment forms are available on our website or from the office so please return them to the office ASAP.  The Bright Beginnings transition program is about to start and you do not want to miss out. If you have neighbours that have not yet enrolled then please encourage them to come and visit the school or website for an enrolment form. 

Until next time…… (stay warm!!)

Kylie Campbell

Principal

Futures are Bright at Weeden Heights!