We, at Miners Rest Primary School, would like to acknowledge the Wadawurrung people of the Kulin Nation.

We pay our respects and thank the Wadawurrung people. May we share your land. We promise to look after it, as well as the animals and people too.

Welcome Penny!

This week we have welcomed our new Business Manager to Miners Rest K-6 - Penny Kaletsch.

We sadly farewell Chelsea Teichelman and sincerely thank her for her leadership of the Administration Team and the management of our school's finances, maintenance, contractors and staff. Chelsea's commitment to continuous improvement and support of staff, families and children was a testament to dedication and investment in our kindergarten and school - thank you, Chelsea.

Mobile Phone Policy

A reminder that the Department of Education has in place a mobile phone ban that requires students who bring mobiles phones to school to have them switched off and securely put away during school hours.

The ban applies equally to all government schools right across the state.

This helps ensure that school is a learning environment free from unnecessary distractions and disruptions.

By ensuring mobile phones are kept away, students can interact with each other face-to-face, without the distractions and social pressures that mobile phones can cause.

I ask for the support of all our families, staff and students in continuing to support the implementation of this policy in our school.

Further information

Exceptions: For a small number of students with particular health needs, an exception to the policy may be granted.

Emergencies: In the event of an emergency or if you need to immediately contact your child, I ask that families contact the school office who will pass on a message as required.

School mobile phone policy: A copy of our school’s local mobile phone policy, which implements the government’s mobile policy in line with our local context, is available on our website and a link has been inserted below for easy reference. This policy outlines the requirements of the Minister for Education relating to students using mobile phones during school hours.

Parent support: The Mobile phones in schools webpage provides links to resources for families to help them balance their children’s time using mobile phones.

If you have further questions, please contact the administration office.

National OSHC Educators Day

National OSHC Educators Day is on Wednesday July 29. This year's theme is "Valuing OSHC Educators Every Day",".

OSHC Educators play an important part in our community by providing safe and engaging programs which support families to work or attend to other commitments. We would like to recognise the significant contribution our OSHC educators and program leaders make and thank them for their tirelessly work within our OSHC program and the wider school community.

When you see any member of our OSHC team, make sure to let them know how valued they are and your appreciation for all they do.

Aus Alert

We’ve been advised that a national test of AusAlert will happen across Australia on Monday 27 July at 2 pm.

AusAlert is a new, national emergency warning system. It sends warning messages to compatible mobile devices during emergencies, to keep people informed so they can act quickly. The Australian Government plans to launch AusAlert in October 2026.

On Monday 27 July at 2 pm, all compatible mobile devices will receive a Critical Alert. Compatible mobile devices include phones, tablets, smart watches, safety watches and some vehicle devices. These will vibrate and make a loud, siren-like warning sound for about 10 seconds. This will happen even if they are on silent or do not disturb. The message will clearly state that it is a test. No action is required from the test.

To minimise disruption, student phones and smart devices should always be switched off and stored securely in lockers or bags during the school day. Students who use their mobile phone as part of a documented exception can continue to do so. If appropriate, they can turn their phone off during the test.

You may also wish to let your child know that if they see or hear the alert, school staff will support them. You can learn more at AusAlert: children and teens. Information is also available in other languages.

Safe phones

AusAlert may increase risk for people experiencing violence, especially if they live with someone who uses violence. Alerts may expose safety devices.

If you or someone you know has a hidden device, the best way to stay safe during the test is to:

turn off your mobile device or put it in aeroplane mode
keep your device off or in aeroplane mode for 24 hours.

Silent mode and do not disturb will not stop the alert.

For more information, please refer to the Staying safe with AusAlert page.

With best wishes,

Kylie Nissen.

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