Principal's Report

It has certainly been a mixture of weather over the past fortnight! Beautiful sunshine, then grey skies, rain and sunshine again!

Professional Practice Day

At our recent school council meeting, a student-free professional practice day was approved on Monday 6 November (the day before Cup Day public holiday). Students are not required to attend school that day. Team Kids are providing all day care for families wishing to use this service.

Thank You- Referendum BBQ and bake sale

Thank you to our wonderful community for your donations of time and baking in a very successful day for the school. It was wonderful having so many families help out and seeing many ex- students and families vote at our school. We thank Ben Chapple and Watashi Mo for coordinating this event. It was our first time having an event of this kind and there were many learnings on the day. We hope that the Australian Electoral Commission will consider our school again for a polling place in the future.

World Teacher’s Day

World Teachers’ Day is on 27th October. It is an excellent time to reflect on the wonderful teachers we have at Huntingdale Primary School and their amazing contribution to the school and student’s learning. We are fortunate to have dedicated teachers at Huntingdale who look after the academic, social and emotional needs of our students.

I ask that students and families acknowledge the day with their classroom teachers. A simple ‘thank you’, a note or ‘home-made’ card or a flower from your garden is simple way to recognize the work your teachers do.

We have planned a staff morning tea for our teachers to enjoy and celebrate their profession as well as certificates of recognition.

Planning for 2024

The school is well underway for planning the 2024 school year.

In November, classroom teachers will be working on class lists for 2024. Parents are invited to write to me regarding class placements for their children. This information will be shared with the relevant teachers and the insights gained by your comments will be considered by staff when children are placed in their new groupings for 2024. It should be noted that there is no provision to request teachers.

Please do not send me requests for student friendships, as the students themselves will list friends they would like to be with.

Please remember that class placement is taken most seriously by staff and consideration is given to the child’s intellectual, physical, emotional and social development as well as the cohorts of children. All information received from parents is considered in this context. Please ensure you email the school, huntingdale.ps@education.vic.gov.au directing the email to me by Friday 27 October as staff will begin working on class lists soon after. Please note that if you made a request last year that you will need to write another request this year if it is still relevant for your child.

If you are planning on moving interstate, to another country or away from Huntingdale and are yet to notify the office please do so as soon as possible. Numbers have a significant bearing on our planning, and we appreciate early notification when possible.

If you hear of anyone wishing to attend Huntingdale in 2024, please send them to the office to enrol. If you have not enrolled any younger siblings, please do so as quickly as possible so that they can attend our kinder to school transition program.

If you have any further questions, please contact the school office.

Online Safety at home

Many of our older students have mobile phones and use instant messaging services to communicate with one another. What’s App, Snap Chat, Instagram, Tik Tok, Google Meets and Messenger are some examples.

Recently we have become aware of a number of instances where students have been messaging inappropriate content or ‘chain’ mail or while at home.

I ask that parents monitor the platforms children are using, the content they are messaging and the time spent on devices.

Online incidences that happen at home have the potential to spill into school life, which is an unnecessary distraction for students and teachers.

If you need support, please reach out to your classroom teacher or Assistant Principal Naomi Mori-Hanazono.

Reminder- School Vision Update

In 2016, School Council sought input from staff, students, and parents to create 'Lighthouse Moments.'

'Lighthouse Moments' is a strategic document prepared for the school, and guides school staff and School Council in guiding their planning and decision-making.

Our vision is made up of 4 themes. Each theme comprises of 3 directions.

As a member of our school community, School Council is looking to refresh this vision and seeks your feedback and input.

We are asking all of our families to do a short survey to give us feedback about our vision.

Please complete the survey using this link:

https://forms.gle/ETNfffV9bs3K8eVz9

We look forward to your response!

Middle East

There are people in our school community that are affected by the devastating events in the Middle East. Many are upset and disturbed by the awful events depicted in media footage and images. This time is particularly distressing for people who have family and friends in Israel and Gaza.

We are aware of the extreme emotional toll this may have on some people and please contact the school if you need support.

Please ensure your children are aware of where they can find support if they need it.

You may find some aspects of this resource helpful:

Helping my children after trauma: A guide for parents.

Support is also available through external services including:

headspace: 1800 650 890
Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636.

We can all look to support one another in this very difficult time.

Oakleigh Education Plan Update

As part of the Oakleigh Education Plan, we like to keep our community updated on the achievements of the plan. STEM learning is a central part of the plan for all three schools. South Oakleigh College extended an opportunity for their students to visit NASA recently!

At NASA students were exposed to a wide range of educational experiences, from space exploration simulations to understanding the physics of amusement park rides, all of which fostered critical thinking and a deeper appreciation for applied science.

South Oakleigh College goes to NASA!

Students travelled to Orlando, Florida to participate in a three-day program that was conducted by Camp KSC – Kennedy Space Centre.

The heart of the program was the certified Astronaut Training Experience (ATX), an exclusive opportunity not found anywhere else in the world! Here, students stepped into the shoes of astronauts, training for life on Mars and prepare for the challenges of the journey to the Red Planet. They navigated full-motion mission simulators like the Land and Drive on Mars, dabbled in virtual reality with the Walk on Mars, and even experienced the sensation of microgravity on the Micro Gravity floor simulator.

The day was all about teamwork, communication, and collaboration. The students were able to develop their skills as they guided each other through these challenges.

The students were taken on a guided tour of the behind the scenes at Kennedy Space Centre and visited the rocket launch pads, Vehicle assembly building, the Apollo/Saturn V Centre and the Launch Complex 39. These areas have restricted access to the public.

They were further immersed into the future of space exploration at Mars Base 1, which is a prototype of Mars Base. The students were able to conduct experiments, solve engineering challenges, use robotics, and defy gravity in a microgravity simulation. They learned how to manage emergencies and planted and harvested vegetables in a series of controlled experiments.

The next stop was Los Angeles where the educational journey continued with the Knott’s Berry Farm Physics – Energy in Motion Program, where students explored the physics governing amusement park rides and roller coasters.

A day at Disneyland provided a well-deserved break for students to unwind and enjoy.

Universal Studios offered a unique opportunity to understand the intricacies of movie-making, from stunts to special effects.

Following LA our next destination was San Francisco where upon arrival at the USS Hornet, the group took part in the STEM to Stern Program and were able to see how chemistry, physics and mathematics apply to the operational functions of a World War II aircraft carrier giving the students a perspective on modern technology whilst being able to make a comparison with the past. Students learned about thermodynamics, and electromagnetism, how waves are used to track objects, hydraulics and simple machines, how pilots and sailors use vector mathematics to plot a course.

The Exploratorium provided an engaging environment with over 600 STEM exhibits. Here, students had hands-on experiences, exploring concepts like Ramps and Rollers, recording data, making comparisons, and discovering how small adjustments can lead to significant changes. They also experimented with light, shadow, and balance using multiple weights.

To round off the experience prior to their return home, students took a ferry to Alcatraz where they engaged in an audio tour casting actual voices of the correctional officers and inmates who lived on the island. The experience alerted students to careers in forensic science.

Swimming

The school swimming program concludes at the end of this week. If you have any feedback, you can send it to the school email address hutningdale.ps@education.vic.gov.au by Friday 3 November.

Have a great fortnight.

Ruth Biddle

Principal

Assistant Principal’s Report

Thank you to the families who came to help with the sausage sizzle and cake stall at the recent Referendum BBQ. It was so good to see our families get together and even see some former families catch up as well.

Grade 1 and Grade 4’s Drama Performance

I am sure Grade 1 and Grade 4 parents enjoyed their child’s performances in Japanese. It is a great opportunity for our students to showcase their productive language, and they can be proud of themselves to speak in Japanese in front of an audience. We appreciate your support, and a big THANK YOU goes to Shoya sensei.

Bridge Summer Camp (APCC) in Fukuoka, Japan 2024

The Australia Japan Business Council of Victoria (AJBCV) has been invited to send four children (2 boys and 2 girls) to the BRIDGE Summer Camp (Asian-Pacific Children’s Convention) in Fukuoka Japan, which will be held for approximately 10 days from the middle of July 2024. After the internal selection process in school, Erena.C was chosen to represent our school. She will attend the next selection process. Good luck to Erena.

Watashi Mo AGM

The AGM will be held on Monday 14th November. This will be a face to face meeting in the Hall and will commence at 8:50am. We anticipate the meeting will take approximately 30 minutes. We hope to see many people as possible. Please feel free to talk to the current committee members if you have any questions about any of the roles of Watashi Mo.

Instagram-Huntingdale Primary School

Please find the attached Huntingdale Primary School Instagram QR code.

You are welcome to join in and connect with our community.

Sun Smart

Students need to wear a school hat when they are outside. If they don’t have it, they need to stay under the shade. Please make sure your child brings their school hat to school every day. Also, please ensure your child’s name is written on their hat.

Student Support

One of my main roles in the school is to coordinate the student support services in the school- academic, social and behaviour services. This includes programs we offer ‘in house’ as well as external services provided by the Department of Education and other external agencies.

Generally the process happens in the following way:

A teacher may have a concern with your child and will discuss it with you or you as a parent may have concerns about your child which you discuss with the teacher.
These concerns are then usually discussed with me so a decision can be made on which service can be accessed and is the most appropriate for your child. Permission forms are then signed.
Contact is made to the service provider who will then discuss the referral with parents and/or the teacher.
A decision will be made on what sort of support the child will need. This could be an assessment, therapy, home program, referral to another agency or in school support.

This process is confidential with only the key stakeholders- myself, the classroom teacher/s and service providers involved.

Often parents will show concern about other children in the school. We as a school cannot discuss the educational, academic or social circumstances of other children who are not your own or detail support services they may be accessing. This is confidential. Please be rest assured that all efforts are made to support students in the school as much as possible.

Better Place Australia

Child and Teen Counselling and Family Mental Health Support is Available

Children and teenagers lead busy lives filled with school, family and social commitments. For some, changes in home, family and school environments can be stressful and filled with anxiety. Children and teens may find difficult to cope with these changes and face challenges with social and educational commitments or meaningfully engage with their support and social networks as a result.

Support is available to families that are struggling during this difficult time.

Better Place Australia offers Child and Adolescent Counselling, Mental Health Counselling and Adult Counselling services to youth and their families who are struggling with a range of the following issues:

Separation and family violence
Stress and anxiety from changes in home, family life or friendships
Social issues and isolation
Significantly increased screen time
Motivation to learn
Mental health

Better Place Australia is a government-funded organisation with offices around Victoria offering services in Counselling, Psychological services and Mediation.

We have appointments available now and offer phone and video options to families needing support.

If you would like to discuss further about our services can meet the needs of your students during this challenging time, please call 1800 639 523 for more information. Visit betterplaceaustralia.com.au to find out more.

Naomi Mori-Hanazono

Assistant Principal