Across Oliver's Desk 

Dear Parents & Guardians, 

UPDATE

I am so happy that we have had a semi normal term 3. No remote learning (which is a very distant bad memory) and no major disruptions to learning. The building project has been a disruption in terms of noise, no basketball courts and parking. I am looking forward to getting our staff carpark back some time next term so that there will be more parent parking. The bad news is that it will get worse before it gets better. Through the holidays the staff parking area that is being used as the work site office will be transferred to the other side of the school. This is because that area will have new asphalt work and drainage work. The bad news is that more tradesman working on the project will have even less parking and will use more of the parking at the front of the school. All I can do is apologise to parents for all the disruption. But the great news is that the end is near. We will be moving into the new building late October or early November. Then stage two will begin which will be the removal of the current building, new basketball courts to be installed, upgrade and renovation of the school hall and finally a new amphitheatre and playground. The timeline for everything to be finished is March 2024. 

TUTOURING

For some of our students that need extra help, the tutoring program funded by the government has been a winner. I was very pleased that funding for the program was announced last week for 2024 and 2025. I will let you know more about next years plans for the tutoring program during next term four. 

GRADE 2 SLEEPOVER

Our grade 2’s had a wonderful time last Friday night when they had a sleepover at the school. They had pizza and sushi for dinner, played fun games and even had a disco! I asked Elijah Crinis about the sleepover and he said, “The grade two sleepover was incredible because we had delicious ice-cream and jelly”. A man close to my heart because it was all about the food for him!

Thank you to Rachael Cantwell, Ash Gibbons, Elyse Newman, Sara-Jane Vaughan, Sarah-, Jayne Robinson, Vix Barnard, Steph Verhoef, Sandy Walter and a number of our wonderful grade two parents for giving the kids a brilliant, although mostly sleepless experience. The grade two sleep over is a very important event for getting our grade two students ready for next years Ballarat (Sovereign Hill) Camp.

STAFFING NEWS

Every year before we do anything else we have to firstly decide on the make-up of the Prep Team, this is because of transition activities and the testing of future preps during term four. Therefore, it is my great pleasure to announce the Prep team for 2024:

Rachael Cantwell – Team Leader

Jess Lowe

Sophie Young

Rachael will receive a full handover from Jess Howe who has led our Prep team for a number of years. 

We also plan to have another full-time staff member floating between the grades because we will have higher Prep class sizes next year.

Katherine Bolton will return as our 3/4 team leader and the teacher of 3/4D next term. Again, we congratulate her on being the Principal of Marlborough Primary School for the past five weeks. 

AUTHOR STUDY AND THE YARRA JUNCTION LIBRARY

Throughout this term in literacy each year level has been studying an author. The Preps have studied Julia Donaldson, 1/2s Anna Walker, 3/4s Margaret Wild and 5/6s Morris Gleitzman. After learning all about their author, the students have been very busy creating pieces of writing inspired by their author of study. Throughout the September school holidays, the students work will be on display at the Yarra Junction Library.

We encourage you to go along and have a look at the incredible pieces on display! We’re sure your child will love seeing their work in the community.

EXCELLENCE AWARDS

I would like to congratulate all our excellence award winners this term. Our excellence awards go to the student the teachers’ judge as the best student for the term in terms of following the school’s values of High Expectations and Respect.

The winners receive a badge that has a different colour to represent how many times a student has won an award. Students will also be acknowledged with their photo and a blurb on why they have won the award in the office area for the following term. 

Colour code:

White – First time winner

Green – Second time winner

Pink -– Third time winner

Yellow – Fourth time winner

Orange -– Fifth time winner

Blue – Sixth time winner

Currently Asha Crowley is the only student to have achieved a Blue Badge. However, there are a number of students who have won the award five times. 

Congratulations to all our winners who have strived for excellence this term.

Term 3, 2023

STEP WINNERS

The following students are our term 3 steps winners. The winners will enjoy a sumptuous morning tea with myself first or second week back in term 4. Well done to all these students for being ready to learn, attentive and basically brilliant! This is my favourite award in the school, because it involves food!

NO HAT NO PLAY 

Please remember that Term 4 is "NO HAT, NO PLAY"  Any students without their hat will have to stay quietly in the undercover area of the school.  If you need a new hat they are available from Lowes in Lilydale Market Place.

I hope you all have a safe and happy break! Thank you again for all the support you constantly give us. Our community has again been so positive about everything to do with the school this term and I thank you all for creating that positive environment even though I know a lot of you are frustrated by our parking situation.  

I’m not sure who is going to win the grand final this year but I believe it could be the year of the Blue??  After being at the MCG last week, there is no doubt that the lid is off and I can’t wait for Friday night’s game against Melbourne. 

If you don’t like football, I hope you get a chance to read over the break. I certainly will be!