Term 4 in full swing

It surprises me how quickly the year goes. Although we are three quarters of the way through the year, there is still lots of learning to take place. Our main focus will always be learning. However, we want to produce students with a strong moral purpose.

I came across this quote and I thought it summed up why we do Positive Education at Park Ridge Primary School:

'If you want happiness for an hour — take a nap.'

'If you want happiness for a day — go fishing.'

'If you want happiness for a year — inherit a fortune.'

'If you want happiness for a lifetime — help someone else.'

Chinese Proverb

Sunsmart

No Hat No Play operates throughout Term 4. All students must wear a school hat when outside playing, participating in outside class activities and sports sessions.

Even on cloudy days at this time of the year, UV levels are on the rise. Park Ridge Primary School is a SunSmart school, and our students and teachers need to be careful when outside. For best sun protection, use these Five SunSmart steps during the sun protection times:

1. Slip on covering clothing. If you can see skin, UV can reach it.

2. Slop on SPF 30 or higher broad-spectrum sunscreen. Apply sunscreen before going outdoors and reapply every two hours. One application is not enough.

3. Slap on a sun protective hat. The best hat shades the head, face, eyes, ears and neck.

4. Seek shade. Shady spaces help block some of the sun’s UV but not all, so you still need to wear hats, clothing and sunscreen even in the shade.

5. Slide on sunglasses labelled AS 1067. If practical, help protect the eyes with sunglasses.

NEW 2025 Class Placement Process (Repeat)

This year, we are streamlining our process for collecting important information from parents and carers to inform our class placement process. This process is OPTIONAL and it replaces the letter-based process used in previous years.

Each year, we spend a considerable amount of time working on class structures, staff recruitment, teacher placements and allocating students to classes. It is a complex and comprehensive process that we diligently work through so that we have school structures that best meets the needs of all students. To do this we consider several factors that impact on each child's learning and success at school.

The people who know your child/ren best in the school environment are our teachers. It is also these people who will be working with our students most closely in the school environment next year, so they are given the main responsibility of developing class lists. Our teachers always strive to create classes that are balanced in terms of gender, academic achievement, behaviour, special needs, and friendships.

Nobody knows your child emotionally better than you do and we are most interested in your insights as to what you think will help your children achieve their best next year.

Class Placement Survey

Parents and carers are invited to complete this survey to identify up to two requests. These can be a combination of either pairings or separations. When completing this survey, you can indicate supportive friendship pairing and the clear reasons why AND/OR peer separation with clear reasons why. Clear reasons need to be directly related to the student's learning and/or wellbeing needs and describe the impact that this pairing or separation would have for the student and their school experience the following year.

This survey is designed to be completed for one individual child. If you have more than one child at our school in 2025, you will need to complete and submit the survey once for each child who requires these considerations. This form does NOT need to be completed for students entering Foundation in 2025.

The survey will be open until and no later than Friday 25 October (Friday of Week 3 Term 4) by 4.00pm.

We encourage you to complete this survey even if you have spoken to your child's teacher earlier in the year or have provided information to the school in past years. Please do not assume that 'the school will know', as friendships and student needs continually evolve. It is worth considering that issues that may have been a concern at an earlier time in your child's schooling may not always continue to be so as the children grow up and mature. Keep this in mind as you provide information for consideration.

Please note that it is not appropriate to include requests for your child to have particular teachers.

Student Friend Requests

One important part of our class placement process is that our students are given the opportunity to identify up to five peers who they would like to be with next year. Teachers will work hard to ensure that every student has at least one of these individuals in their class next year.

We go to great lengths to encourage and support students to think very carefully about the names that they write down, so they don't just write the names of the person they played with that day or the person who invited them to their birthday party recently.

Sometimes students write down the name or names of peers they would like to be in class with even though they may not play with them. This can be because they consider this individual would be a good influence or someone they would like to get to know. This is not a bad thing and can be a sign of maturity and growing independence as they may be trying to be less reliant on one or two specific peers.

One of the most common concerns we receive is that a student is separated from all of their friends. We can assure you that this is extremely rare and if it does happen, we consult with the student's parents to ensure we are making the best placement for their child.

We encourage you to speak to your children about this process to reinforce the importance of the names of the children they write down. These processes will be taking place in the first few weeks of Term 4.

2025 Internal Transition Program

Our internal transition program includes a wide range of activities at each year level and across the school to support a positive transition experience of our students. Some activities are formalised, and others are more casual, but provide opportunities for students to mix and work together to connect with peers across their year level.

Teachers spend considerable time preparing our students for their transition to the next level of schooling and scaffold their discussions and activities to reassure and help students understand the process and know what to expect next year. Teachers also remind students of past successful transitions and how this is part of moving through the school, and that they have the confidence and are ready to manage this next transition just as successfully as they have managed transitions in the past.

Please access the survey via the hyperlink below:

2025 Class Placement Parent Survey

School Saving Bonus Update

As shared with you previously, parents and carers of every child enrolled in a Victorian government school in 2025 will receive the one-off School Saving Bonus $400 support.

In the coming months, the Department of Education will send you two email communications for each of your children enrolled in Victorian government schools.

By Friday 25 October 2024, please ensure that your child’s 2025 enrolment is completed and that your contact information is up to date.

The two emails from the Department of Education will:

Confirm your email address between mid-October and late-November.
Provide you with your unique $400 School Saving Bonus code by the end of November.

If you do not receive a confirmation email from the department by late-November, please check your spam or junk folders and contact the office on 9752 8555, if needed.

You can read more about the School Saving Bonus on the Department of Education website, with key information now available in 14 different languages.

Thunderstorm Asthma – be prepared this pollen season

Grass pollen season, which typically runs from October to December each year in Victoria, brings an increase in asthma and hay fever symptoms. It also increases the risk of thunderstorm asthma. For people with asthma or hay fever, especially those who experience wheezing or coughing with their hay fever, thunderstorm asthma can be sudden, serious and even life threatening.

Park Ridge Primary School will implement a range of measures to keep our school community safe as the risk of thunderstorm asthma increases. Many of our staff are trained in asthma first aid, and we will monitor the VicEmergency app to receive thunderstorm warnings, and, where appropriate, keep students indoors when weather forecasts identify greater risk.

During the season, there are some things you can do to prepare and protect yourself and your family:

If your child has ever had asthma, talk to your doctor about what you can do to help protect them from the risk of thunderstorm asthma this pollen season, including updating your asthma action plan. Taking an asthma preventer properly and regularly is key to preventing asthma, including thunderstorm asthma.
If your child has hay fever, see your pharmacist or doctor for a hay fever treatment plan and check if you should have an asthma reliever puffer. These are available from a pharmacy without a prescription.
If your child has hay fever and experiences wheezing and coughing, it is important to make sure they don’t also have asthma. Speak to your doctor about an asthma action plan.
Where possible, avoid being outside during thunderstorms from October to December, especially during the wind gusts that come before the storm. Go inside and close your doors and windows. If you have your air conditioning on, turn it to ‘recirculate’.

Protect yourself this pollen season – managing asthma and allergies matters. For more information, speak to your doctor. You can also visit the Better Health Channel website.

Safe Socials

The Department of Education has released new tips and resources for parents, carers and families to support primary school students to be safe when using social media. The Safe Socials – For parents and carers (Primary) | vic.gov.au (www.vic.gov.au) webpage includes information on how parents and carers can support a positive and safe online experience for their child, information about signing up a child or young person who might need support and information about what to do if you child experiences something unsafe online, along with information about where to reach out for support. We encourage you to explore the new information and resources available to ensure your child is safe when using social media.

World Teachers Day

Friday 25 October is when we in Victoria celebrate World Teachers Day. This is the community’s chance to thank our teachers and acknowledge the wonderful work that they do each day to support the learning and development of our students. Everyone, no matter how old, can remember a great teacher who made a difference in their lives. It would be wonderful if our community could take the time on Friday 25 October to say thank you to your child’s teacher as we can assure you it will be greatly appreciated and will make their day.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Please feel free to pop in for a chat with either Carrie, Brendan or I, should you wish to discuss anything.

Our doors are always open!

Take care,

Mr. Dale Blythman

Important Dates