From the Principal 

Diana Ellis

Ride2School Day 22 March 2024

Woodend Primary School is excited to be celebrating National Ride2School Day on Friday 22 March 2024. 

National Ride2School Day is the perfect opportunity to kick-start new healthy habits and promote the many benefits of active travel. We encourage all students and their families to leave the car at home (or further from school if that’s too far) and give riding, walking, scooting or skating to school, a go. We are also looking for a few more parents to help out on the day by being positioned at key intersections, which will help show kids where the safest crossing places are (we do not want you to stop cars, but if need be, remind the kids to stop). 

 It’s sure to be a fantastic day and we look forward to seeing you there!

If you haven’t had your bike out for a while, it’s a good idea to just check it over, pump up the tires and oil the chain. You could take it to the local bike shop too. And parents / carers, have a practice ride with your kid(s) beforehand. 

Tomorrow morning on the netball court, from 8 - 10am, Mark and Ben will be available to check over bikes and advise on any necessary maintenance.

If you live too far from school to ride all the way, why not take the bike in the car (if possible) and park a bit further away like at the train station or at Buffalo Stadium and ride from there. 

Remember, children under 12 are allowed to ride on the footpaths with someone older accompanying them. Just ride slowly around pedestrians. 

Let’s hope for a dry day.  #ride2school #ride2schoolday  

 For further information please contact Emilie at emilie.michaille@mrsg.org.au 

Building Project

Many of you will have noticed some changes happening to the grounds and infrastructure of our school. This week a lot of temporary fencing was erected by the builders and work started on our project. Our school is listed as a category 3 high risk school on the bushfire register and therefore, we are required to have a designated Shelter in Place that meets all current bushfire regulations, this includes ensuring grounds and structures within 10 metres of the Shelter in Place also meet regulations. Previously our Shelter in Place Building was our Multi-Purpose Hall (gym) and works were last carried out in 2018 to make this building fire safe. Since then, we have had another audit and regulations have changed. As a result, it was deemed that the whole wing attached to the multi-purpose is deemed shelter in place and $215000 was allocated by the Victorian Government to carry out these works. The project is being managed by the Victorian Schools Building Authority. Architects were engaged to draw up all of the necessary changes and then it went to tender to appoint a building company. Boongalla Group were successful in gaining the project and after much consultation with us at a school level, the architects, and the V.S.B.A, the works have finally started on the main campus and at Carlsruhe. The first stage of the work is to remove vegetation that is classified as a risk and then work with start on replacing wooden facias, doors and decks. The work will continue over the school holidays and into next term. 

School Council

On Monday night we had our School Council A.G.M. In welcoming new members, it also means farewelling valued members. This year we farewell one of our highly valued members Shayne Summers. Shayne has been an active member of School Council in the period of time his boys Liam and Sam, attended Woodend Primary School. With Sam graduating at the end of 2023 this meant the end of Shayne’s time as a parent at our school. Shayne was not only a school council member, but he performed the very important role of Treasurer, ensuring he carefully scrutinised our revenue and expenditure and met monthly with myself, the Assistant Principal, Sue Turner our Business Manager and Tim Bates the School Council President. After reviewing or monthly financials Shayne would then present a comprehensive report for School Council and present that report at each School Council meeting. I cannot speak highly enough of Shayne and all that he has contributed to our School Council but also to our school volunteering for camps, sporting events and working bees, just to name a few. 

On behalf of School Council, I would like to sincerely communicate our gratitude. 

At our meeting we also had the pleasure of welcoming a new cohort of parent members to the team including Simone Schroeder, Elle Ghent and Victoria Humphries. These new members will join our existing parent members – Andrea Haines, Tim Bates, Julia Davidson, Cathryn Petre and Salina Chamerski along with staff members – Susan Machell (Library), Jenni Rossi (Canteen), Katherine Richardson (Year 3 teacher), Elissa Campbell (Assistant Principal) and Diana Ellis (Principal).

The executive members are:

• Tim Bates, re-elected as President
• Julia Davidson, re-elected as Vice President
• Cathryn Petre, elected as Secretary. 
• A huge thankyou to Salina Chamerski who has been the minutes secretary for the last few years. Salina expertly captured our meetings with comprehensive and accurate minutes. Salina continues on School Council but a great deal of her energy will be dedicated to leading our 2024 Carlsruhe Fair Committee.
• We are still looking for someone to fill the role of Treasurer.  
• At our next meeting we will welcome Lauren Tyrell. 

Congratulations

Recently one of our students (Summer Doyle) competed at the Girton Grammar Interschool's in Elmore and achieved an amazing 5th place for the Primary School 40-50cm show jumping, amongst competitors from all over Victoria. The competition is a qualifier for the State Interschools to be held during 7 to 10 April. Summer is one of only a couple in the group that are below grade 5 and has now qualified and will represent Woodend Primary School in the State Interschool event in show jumping, dressage and combined training.  

Summer flew the Woodend Primary School colours again with pride with Dino her pony and her rosette. As a result, WPS placed 27th out of 35 schools, ahead of schools like Assumption College, Carey and Loreto. 

Athletics Sports

Today our Year 4-6 students are participating in our Woodend Primary School Athletics Day. The event is being held at Kyneton Showgrounds and thankfully we have been blessed with great weather.

Peer Mediators

Next week around twenty of our students from the Year 5/6 Unit will be trained as Peer Mediators. Mrs. Minchew and Mrs. Ellis will run the training. Once trained, the students will be rostered on in the yard to help other students deal with minor conflict. Anyone with bigger issues will be referred to the yard duty teachers.

Emergency Drill

Each term we are required to practise our emergency procedures with a drill. Next week we will have an emergency drill to practise an on-site evacuation. 

Easter Holidays

It is hard to believe the Easter holidays are fast approaching and we only have one more week of Term 1. This term we have already achieved many of the activities planned in our Annual Implementation Plan, particularly in regards to the amount of Professional Learning our staff have undertaken. To date our staff have already engaged in professional learning for Youth Mental Health First Aid, CPR, Anaphylaxis, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Muscular Distrophy.

Currently our staff are also participating in a number of sessions called Foray into Phonics run by expert consultant Narissa Leung(Oz Lit Teacher). https://www.ozlitteacher.com.au/

Last day of term is on Thursday March 28. Students will be dismissed at 2.30pm.

Term 2

The first day of term for students is Tuesday April 16. 

Monday April 15 is a student free day as staff will be participating in professional learning.

Principal

Diana Ellis