Assistant Principal's Address

WEEK 8 | TERM 2

Dear Parents, Guardians and School Community,

Please take a moment to read the important updates and reminders below.

🎓 Attendance and Punctuality – Every Day Counts

Going to school every day is one of the most important factors in your child’s education. Students learn new things every day, and missing school can impact their learning and progress.

Why attendance matters

• There is no safe number of days to miss school. Every day absent can affect your child’s learning outcomes in reading, writing and numeracy.
• Attendance patterns start early. Children who regularly miss school in the early years often continue this pattern and may experience academic challenges later on.
• In Victoria, school attendance is compulsory for children aged 6 to 17 years.

Common reasons for absence

• Illness - Students should only stay home when they are genuinely unwell. Healthy routines, including adequate sleep, good nutrition and regular exercise, can help reduce illness.
• Family holidays - Whenever possible, please plan family holidays during school breaks. If a holiday during term time is unavoidable, contact the school to discuss a learning plan.
• Occasional "days off"-Avoid allowing your child to take unnecessary days off school—every day counts.
• School refusal or truancy - These can be complex issues that require close collaboration between families and the school to support the student.

Did you know?

Missing just one day every fortnight adds up to approximately 1.5 years of missed schooling over 13 years.

If your child is absent

• Notify the school as soon as possible.
• Speak with your child’s teacher about keeping up with learning.
• Work with the teacher to develop an absence learning plan if required.

Open communication helps prevent attendance concerns from escalating and ensures students receive the support they need. School Attendance Officers may become involved where attendance concerns remain unresolved.

Top tips for parents

• Talk positively about school and the importance of attending every day.
• Avoid scheduling appointments or holidays during school hours where possible.
• Contact the school early if you have concerns about your child’s attendance—we are here to support you.

For more information, please visit the Department of Education website:

www.education.vic.gov.au/school/parents/behaviour/Pages/studentattendance.aspx

🧸 Calm Club – Donations Welcome

Our Calm Club has been a wonderful addition to the school and has quickly become a favourite space for many students.

Calm Club is a passive play space designed to support student wellbeing. It provides a quiet, nurturing environment where children can regulate their emotions, build social skills and enjoy calm, imaginative play during break times.

Due to its success, we would greatly appreciate donations to help us continue developing this space. We are currently seeking new or gently used items such as:

• LEGO
• Children's play kitchen sets
• Baby dolls and accessories
• Soft toys
• Imaginative play resources
• Dress-up costumes

If you have items you would like to donate, please drop them off at the school office. Thank you for supporting this special space for our students.

🏥 School Nurse Program – Term 2

We are excited to welcome the School Nurse Program this term for all Prep students. The program includes general health and development checks to support student wellbeing.

Prep families have already received the School Nurse information packs. Please ensure the online or paper consent form is submitted by Friday, 12 June.

📅 Student Support Group (SSG) Meetings

Term 2 Student Support Group (SSG) meetings for identified students have now been completed. We have appreciated the opportunity to meet with families to review individual learning goals and establish new targets for continued growth.

Thank you to the families who participated. Your involvement plays an important role in supporting your child's progress and success at school.

❄️ Vacation Care Winter Program – Bookings Now Open!

Bookings are now open for Council’s Vacation Care Program for primary school-aged children.

Offering a variety of creative, sensory, cooking and incursion experiences, the winter program will run from Monday, 29 June to Friday, 10 July.

Program highlights include:

• Bee Creative – Beeswax incursion
• Winter Wonderland – Create your own snow globe and enjoy sensory snow play
• NAIDOC Week Celebration – Aboriginal movement incursion
• Build Your Own Toolbox with Bunnings

The Melton City Council Vacation Care Program is located at:

Bridge Road Children's and Community Centre 260–266 Bridge Road, Strathtulloh

For information about the winter program, costs and enrolment, please visit the Melton City Council website.

Thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to our school community. If you have any questions, concerns or require support, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

Kind regards,

Bianca Gavin & Racheal Zappia

Assistant Principals