7th February 2025

Dear Families,

The first week back at school has been a success, and it’s been great to see the students settling into their routines and expectations for 2025. Each class is already fully engaged in their Term 1 learning, and we’re excited to watch them grow this year.

Our 2025 Preps have now started school with 2 half day sessions today and yesterday. They have had a couple of very settled days and we are looking forward to then starting full days from Monday 10th February. Well done to the families and the staff for supporting the students in having such a settled start.

We would love to see many of our families join us for the Information Sessions next week, where you can learn more about how to support your child’s learning journey.

Information Sessions: Supporting Your Child’s Learning

Join us for the following sessions:

Year 5/6: Monday, 10th February from 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Year 3/4: Tuesday, 11th February from 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Prep - 2: Wednesday, 12th February from 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

Please register for the session you plan to attend via the link below:Register Here

We look forward to seeing you there!

On Monday, we hosted a welcome morning tea for our new Prep families, which was wonderful! It was lovely to hear their excitement as they started this week. The Preps have had two half-days so far, and they’ve adjusted quickly—truly impressive. Next week, they’ll attend assembly for the first time, and we’re excited to see them there.

Timetable Reminder

Please familiarise yourselves with the daily timetable. If you need to collect your child during the day, kindly arrange this at the start of the school day so we can have them ready. If you arrive unexpectedly during break times, you may need to wait until the break ends to collect your child, as it's difficult to reach them over the PA during these times. We also remind families that children should only miss school for medical appointments or emergencies. Birthdays and celebrations are not a valid reason for missing class time.

Timetable 2023
Before School 8:45 – 9am 8:57am	Soft Start Music
Session 1	9-10am
Session 2	10-11am
Session 3	11am-12noon
Eating Time 12noon - 12:10pm	Bell
Play 1 1st half 12:10pm - 12:30pm	Bell
2nd half 12:30pm -12:50pm	Music 12:47pm. Bell 12:50pm
Session 4	12:50-1:50pm
Play 2 1st half 1:50 – 2:10pm	Bell
Play 2nd half 2:10 – 2:30pm	Music 2:27pm. Bell 2:30pm
Session 5	2:30-3:30 Bell 3:30pm
After School 3:30 – 3:45pm	Staff yard supervision

School Council Meeting Dates:

The final meeting of the 2024 School Council will be held on Tuesday, 25th February. The AGM will take place the following month on Tuesday, 25th March at 6:30 PM, and all parents and carers are welcome to attend. The 2025 School Council’s first meeting will occur right after the AGM. We have now called for nominations for the 2025 School Council.

Nude Food & Fruit/Vegetable Break:

We ask that families provide fruit or vegetables for children to eat during Sessions 1-3, such as bananas, apples, or cut-up vegetables. Please avoid sticky foods, packaged snacks, sweets, and cakes at these times. Nuts should also not be sent to school to protect our anaphylactic students. Ensure children have a labelled water bottle containing only water, as sugary drinks are not allowed during learning time. As the main eating time is at 12:00 PM, we encourage families to help children understand what food is appropriate for each break. We are a "nude food" school, so please limit packaging, and any packaging sent to school will be returned home for disposal. This helps reduce our environmental impact.

No Hat, No Play – Sun Smart School:

Every child is required to have a broad-brimmed hat for outdoor activities and break times. Children without a hat will need to stay in the shaded area near the canteen and will not be allowed to play. This policy is strictly enforced.

Yard Supervision Hours:

Supervision in the school yard is provided from 8:45 AM to 3:45 PM. Families should not leave children unsupervised outside of these hours. It is against the law to leave primary-aged children unsupervised, and persistent issues may involve DHHS. If an emergency occurs, please contact the office for assistance, preferably before 3:20 PM.

Fly High Night:

We are excited to announce our 5th Annual Fly High Night on Thursday, 3rd April hosted by the School Community Association. We hope to see you all there!

Labelling Belongings:

Please ensure all your child’s belongings, including clothing, water bottles, and lunch boxes, are clearly labelled.

Unwell Children:

Please keep unwell children at home. Spreading illness affects not only the learning environment but also the wellbeing of our staff.

Teacher Meetings:

Teacher meetings usually take place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays after school, and teachers are available for urgent matters only on those days. For general inquiries, please contact your child’s teacher first. For more serious matters, you may reach out to the leadership team (Jane Black or Sam Birrell) or the Principal (Loren Peavey).

Assemblies:

Assemblies are held every Friday at 2:50 PM in the gym, and all parents and carers are invited to attend.

Volunteer Induction Sessions:

We will be hosting Induction sessions for parents who are interested in volunteering on the following dates:

Thursday, 27th February from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM
Tuesday, 4th March from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM

These sessions will be held in the Library. To confirm your attendance, please register using the link provided below.

https://compasstix.com/e/5c9wmwzdac

Please note, in order to volunteer at the school, you must complete an Induction session each year and hold a valid Volunteer’s Working with Children Check. If you attended the session last year, you will still need to attend again this year.

Semper Dental Visit:

Semper Dental will visit our school from Wednesday, 5th March to Friday, 7th March. Information will be sent home soon.

I will be on Long Service Leave for the next two weeks and will return on Monday, 24th February. During my absence, Sam Birrell and Jane Black will be sharing the Acting Principal role.

Thank you for making the first days of 2025 so successful. Have a wonderful weekend!

Loren Peavey

https://keelonithps.vic.edu.au/

https://www.facebook.com/KeelonithPrimarySchool

Reminders