Raywood Primary School Newsletter

From the Office 

  News From the Acting Principal 

Raywood Primary School Council Elections 2025 – Get Involved!

We are excited to announce the 2025 Raywood Primary School Council Elections! This is your chance to contribute to the future of our school and make a meaningful impact on our students' education.

What is the School Council? The School Council plays a vital role in the governance of Raywood Primary School, shaping policies, budgets, and school priorities. It is a collaborative team of parents, staff, and community members working together to ensure the best possible outcomes for our students.

Who Can Join? The Department of Education requires school councils in Victoria to include the following members:

  • Parent Members – Parents or guardians of enrolled students (must make up more than one-third of the council).
  • School Employee Members – Staff members, including the principal (not exceeding one-third of the council).
  • Student Members – Required in secondary schools but optional for primary schools.
  • Community Members – Optional members co-opted by the council to bring in specific expertise (cannot be Department of Education employees).

Available Positions for 2025:

  • Parent Representative: 2 position
  • Staff Representative: 1 position

Key Dates:

  • Nominations Open: 3rd of March 2025
  • Nominations Close: 10th of March 2025 (by 4:00 PM)
  • Voting (if required): 11th - 17th of March 2025
  • Declaration of Results: 18th of March 2025
  • First Meeting of New School Council: 24th of March 2025

How to Nominate Nomination forms are available from the school office or upon request via email. Submit completed forms in person at the school office or email them to ayshia.howden@education.vic.gov.au by 4:00 PM on the 10th of March 2025.

If the number of nominations matches the vacancies, nominees will be automatically elected. Otherwise, a ballot will be held.

We strongly encourage parents and staff to take part in this important process. By joining the School Council, you will help shape the policies and direction of Raywood Primary School, ensuring a bright future for all students.

For any inquiries, please contact Ayshia Howden at ayshia.howden@education.vic.gov.a

 

 NAPLAN 2025: Helping our students shine

NAPLAN is just around the corner, running from 12 to 24 March 2025. This annual assessment for Years 3 & 5 helps us understand student progress in literacy and numeracy.

 

Why It Matters

NAPLAN is a valuable tool that helps teachers tailor learning to support each student’s growth. It’s not about passing or failing—it’s about celebrating progress and identifying areas where students can improve.

Clean Up Australia Day-19th of March

Raywood Primary School is proud to take part in Clean Up Australia Day on Tuesday, 19th March. This special event is a fantastic opportunity for students to care for their local environment and learn about the importance of keeping our community clean.

Our students will be leaving the school at 10:00 am to head to Raywood Recreation Reserve, where they will work together to remove litter and make the area a cleaner, greener space for everyone to enjoy.

To reward our hardworking volunteers, we will be holding a sausage sizzle. However, we still recommend that students bring their lunch and a water bottle for the day.

 

Let’s work together to make a difference—one piece of rubbish at a time!

 

 

That's all for this week- Ayshia Howden 

News from Bree in the office

Swimming Program 2025

 

Whole School Swimming Success! 🏊‍♂️🌊

Our whole school has made a fantastic start to swimming lessons this year! It has been wonderful to see all students growing in confidence in the water, learning new swimming techniques, and practising important water safety skills.

A special shoutout to our new Preps, who have done an amazing job on their very first excursion! They have embraced the experience with big smiles, loving their time in the water and showing great enthusiasm for learning new skills.

Parents are welcome to come and watch their child’s swimming session. Students will be in the pool from 1:45 to 2:30pm, so feel free to come along and cheer them on!

We are excited to see everyone continue to build their skills over the coming weeks. Well done to all our swimmers! 🏊‍♀️👏

 

The upcoming swimming dates are as follows:

 

- Tuesday, 4 March

- Tuesday, 11 March

- Tuesday, 25 March

 

It’s important for your children to come prepared, so please ensure that they pack a swimming bag each week containing the following essentials:

- Bathers (swimsuit)

- A towel

- Goggles

 

The Raywood Team

 

 

 

Annual privacy reminder for our school community

Our school collects and uses student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the https://www.vic.gov.au/schools-privacy-policy and the https://www.vic.gov.au/schools-privacy-collection-notice.

 

Our Photographing, Filming and Recording Students Policy https://www.raywoodps.vic.edu.au/uploaded_files/media/photography_filming_and_recording_of_students_policy.pdf

 , describes how we collect and use photographs, video and recordings of students. The policy also explains when parent consent is required and how it can be provided and withdrawn. 

 

We ask parents to also review the guidance we provide on how we use [Microsoft 365/Google Workspace for Education] safely at the school and what parents can do to further protect their child’s information. If after reviewing the guidance, you have any questions or concerns regarding your child using [Microsoft 365/Google Workspace for Education], please contact the school.

 

For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’.  https://www.vic.gov.au/schools-privacy-policy-information-parents This information is also available in ten community languages:

•    Amharic

•    Arabic

•    Chinese

•    Dari

•    Gujarati

•    Mandarin

•    Somali

•    Sudanese

•    Turkish

•    Urdu

•    Vietnamese

 

CAMPS, SPORTS & EXCURSIONS FUND (CSEF)

 

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

 

Every Victorian child should have access to the world of learning opportunities that exist beyond the classroom. The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps ensure that no student will miss out on the opportunity to join their classmates for important, educational and fun activities. It is part of making Victoria the Education State and the Government’s commitment to breaking the link between a student’s background and their outcomes.

 

CAMPS, SPORTS & EXCURSIONS FUND (CSEF)

 

School camps provide children with inspiring experiences in the great outdoors. Excursions encourage a deeper understanding of how the world works while sports teach teamwork, discipline and leadership.  All are a part of a healthy curriculum. CSEF is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.

If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. The allowance is paid to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.

 

The annual CSEF amount per student is:

•  $154 for primary school students

 

 

HOW TO APPLY

 

I have distributed an application form along with detailed information regarding the Camps, Sports, and Excursions Fund (CSEF) to all students' families. If you are uncertain about your eligibility for this funding, I strongly encourage you to complete the application form regardless. If the application is deemed unsuccessful, I will receive a notification explaining the reasons.

 

If you applied for CSEF at our school last year, you do not need to fill out a new application form this year, unless there have been significant changes in your family circumstances. A new form is required only under the following conditions:

 

- New student enrolment's: This applies if your child has either started school for the first time or has transferred to a different school this year.

- Changes in family circumstances: This includes instances such as alterations in custody arrangements, changes in the family name, updates to your concession card number, or if you have new siblings who will be starting school this year.

 

If you have any questions or are unclear about any aspect of the application process, please do not hesitate to reach out to me for assistance.

 

 I'm here to help ensure that all students have access to the benefits available through CSEF.

 

Saver Plus

Many families might be feeling the pressure of education costs—whether it’s for laptops, iPad, uniforms, books, extracurricular activities or even school camps.

That’s where Saver Plus comes in. It’s a free education program that helps eligible families save for school expenses and rewards them by matching their savings dollar for dollar, up to $500.

Families who join not only receive up to $500 in matched savings, but they also gain practical money skills through free financial education workshops, helping them feel more in control of their finances.

If this sounds like something you may be interested in please scan the QR code below.

Please note this does not have anything to do with the $400 Dollar School saving bonus.

 

 

Thank you, Bree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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