Kindergarten
Director: Meg Arnold
Waratah: Group: Jacqui Zourkas, Megan Lebret, Michelle Green
Lasiandra Group: Helen Williams, Rhonda Tabe, Canice Searles O'Connor
Banksia Group: Naomi Parkin, Melanie Goldmith, Shannon Stackpoole
Wattle Group: Naomi Parkin, Shannon Stackpoole, Megan Lebret
Lunch Relief: Meg Arnold and Sarah Wilson
Tuesday 20th February - Parent Literacy Night (Reading + Assisting Children) 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Tuesday 27th February - Parent Literacy Night (Writing + Assisting Children) 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Tuesday 5th March - Lasiandra Incursion
Thursday 7th March - Waratah Incursion
Monday 11th March - Labour Public Holiday - Kinder Closed
Friday 22nd March - Colour Run
Thursday 28th March - Last Day of Term 1
Welcome to all our families to VPSK for 2024. Term 1 is just getting started, and we are very excited for the year ahead. From all accounts the children are settling in and confidently exploring their new kinder spaces.
To all of those families new to the VPSK community we wish you an especially warm welcome and there will be a number of opportunities coming up to help you connect with not only the other parents in your group but also the wider community.
Our teachers are deeply committed to the children's learning and development, and are very approachable and always keen to engage with parents and families about their child's learning and progress. I know that we all have a great respect for their depth of knowledge and expertise and we will listen to their thoughts and advice closely. We feel so very fortunate to have such a great team to be part of your children’s journey as they take on this new phase of growing up.
Our teachers love feedback directly from our families too, so please feel free to speak to the teachers or write some feedback notes on the reflection books in the foyer. This is a great way to ensure we are including our little learners home lives into our programs.
As the Director of the Kindergarten, I am here on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and I am always available for a friendly chat, I love to hear about any ideas or thoughts from our parent community. So, feel free to find me at the front office or contact me via email megan.arnold@education.vic.gov.au
Meg Arnold
Director/Nominated Supervisor
Separating from parents/carers can be challenging for our little people, and sometimes for us adults too. If we bring it all back to brain development and what is best for our children, a quick Goodbye, can be the best thing for them. Even though it can be hard for the adults.
As long as you are still with them, their amygdala (the part of the brain responsible for anxiety) will have hope that the separation won’t happen, and it will keep the fight or flight response going. Once you leave, the amygdala registers futility. Only then can your young one’s brain and body rest. The neurochemical surge that is driving the physical, emotional and behavioural symptoms of anxiety will start to neutralise and their anxiety will start to ease. The sooner this happens, the sooner your child can settle and get on with the day.
There might be big tears when you leave, and that’s okay. These tears are a sign that the brain has registered futility, and is moving to adaption, which lies at the heart of resilience. It’s never easy watching someone you love in so much distress, but remind yourself that they are safe, that the tears will pass quickly, and that you are providing the experience that will build resilience and courage, and show them they can do hard things.
We are looking for one parent from each of the groups to be the "Class Parent". This role is to help establish some communication between parents in each of the groups. You might like to set up a WhatsApp group for ease of communication or something similar. You could then organise coffee catch ups or playground visits, or it could simply be a quick way for parents to ask questions of each other or remind each other of upcoming events.
If you are interested in helping set this up for your child's group, please let you teacher know ASAP and we can give you more information.
All parents and carers who wish to volunteer in the school or kindergarten are required to understand and agree to the Child Safe Standards, the content of which is contained in the attached in the video below.
Please be aware that it is an expectation that children are picked up promptly at the end of their sessions. Of course we understand unforeseen circumstances occur, please call us in the event of you running late to pick up. This means we can settle your child and tell them we have spoken to you and you are on your way.
However consistent late pick ups will incur a late fee as per the rates below:
| First 15 mins from the end of session | $15 |
| 16 mins until child is signed out of the service | $10 per minute |
