A Word from the Principal 

A warm welcome to our community

WINTER IS HERE!  I hope you all had a fabulous long weekend.   It is always great to have a sleep-in and do something nice with your family. 

Well, with the cold weather, I am having to remind the students to wear their jackets and raincoats outside as well.  Please remember that it is time for our winter uniform as shorts/skorts/summer dresses are a part of the summer uniform (and please no tights being placed under shorts and summer dresses).   

It is wonderful to see students in our school beanie as they look smart and are warm.  Don’t forget the sleeveless polar fleece vests add extra warmth out at play time. They also look smart over the top of the maroon bomber jackets.  These items are all available from the uniform shop if you would like to purchase for your child. 

Volunteers at School

I would really like to thank the parents and grandparents who stepped forward last week and for the remaining two kitchen sessions this term.  THANK YOU!  Volunteers make an incredible difference in the delivery of programs and the kitchen program is one that cannot operate without the help of our community.  Next term our grade 3/4’s will be in the kitchen program so we are hoping that we will have enough volunteers so the program can continue.

Library Volunteers: If you have a free moment, we also require volunteers to shelve books in the library. It is great to have the students borrowing books but we need help to return them to the shelves.  If this is something you could assist with then please contact Beck in our office. 

Literacy Volunteers: I would also like to encourage parents/grandparents, particularly in the prep to year two, to help out in the literacy and numeracy sessions.  We need adults to come in and assist with reading and changing take home books daily.  The support of adults is critical here. 

We also have a few parents who don’t feel confident with their English but please don’t let that stop you as the junior school is the best place to start. My staff will support you as well. 

Any help across the school would be greatly appreciated!

Working with Children Clearance (previously Working with Children Checks) 

A friendly reminder that all parent helpers (in the classroom, kitchen/garden program and those who attend excursions/camps as a parent helper) are required to obtain a volunteer Working with Children Clearance Card.   Please bring into the school office your card/confirmation as proof and you will be added to the Working with Children Register.  A huge thank-you to the parents who have already presented the school with their WWCC or updated WWCC. 

It is very easy to apply so please apply via the following link:

http://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/home/applications/   and will not cost you anything as you are a volunteer.   If you require any support to do this then please contact the office.

Volunteer Induction

We appreciate and value the contribution of volunteers to our school such as parent helpers in the classrooms or attending excursions, sport and camps.  However, we do ask that our volunteers are familiar with our policies and procedures relating to the child safety standards and understand the important role that they play in maintain and promoting the safety of our students.

Volunteers will need to complete a volunteers form and read Weeden Heights PS policies and procedures if they are volunteering at school when students and children are likely to be present.  We will be sending home, our volunteer packs for an upcoming excursion but will also make them available online.  They will be completed annually.

Just a reminder that anyone who volunteers at school must have a Children’s Clearance Card. 

Late arrivals to school

Arriving late each day is very disruptive to a class and the student arriving late. We have had an excessive number of students arriving late on a daily basis and often they are unaccompanied by an adult.  Please make sure that you bring your child to the front desk and sign them in as it is a Child Safety requirement and expected by the school and Department of Education. 

You will have also received notification this week that we are trialling a message alert for late students for a month.  If we have not received notice that your child will be absent, you will begin to get a message alert.  As a parent, you need to ensure that you inform the school of any absence or lateness through the COMPASS app.  It is important to put the reason for the absence so it is not left 'unexplained'.  Everyone should have access to the COMPASS app from their phone and if you need any assistance installing it then please come and see Beck or Sarah in our office who will  happily assist you.  

Reporting to Parents against the Victorian Curriculum

Mid-year reports will come home via COMPASS at the end of term and teachers are currently completing mid-year assessments. I look forward to reading each student’s reports over the next few weeks and celebrating the growth in their learning. 

There is a change to the marking of Mathematics and I did send home some information via Compass about this.  As the curriculum has changed teachers will not be able to compare it to the end of year or mid-year results from 2025.  As a result, there will be no progress indicated as in every other subject area.  As of next year, the reports will have the capacity to indicate progress. 

Further information about your child will be provided during the student led conferences and the work completed in your child’s portfolio after you receive the mid-year report.  The conferences will be conducted in person or via a video conference in the Google Classroom in term three.    Student portfolios will be shared at home, after the conference however, students have unlimited access to their online portfolio any time through the Google Classroom.   

Our student led conferences are highly successful and support the development of student voice and agency which also includes setting future learning goals.

Whole School Camp Information Session

Please look out for a flyer regarding the camp information session in the last week of school.  We are really excited to be in a position to offer a camp for everyone of our students and it is definitely the ‘Weeden Way’ to be connected as a whole school.  It should be incredible!

Weeden Heights PFA Disco

It’s time for your children to get their dancing shoes on as next week is the school disco!  A huge thank you to the PFA in advance for organising a disco for the whole school.  We appreciate everything that they do for our students and our community.    I hope that everyone takes the opportunity to come along and have some fun.  It is wonderful to have the whole school involved in an event!

Until next time……

Kylie Campbell

Principal