Dear Families

From time to time in accordance with the Education Department our policies are reviewed and updated. The most recent updated policies are outlined below.

Please take time to review these policies which can be found on our website:

https://www.wyndhamvaleps.vic.edu.au

Parent Payment arrangements for 2023

Dear parents/guardians/carers,

Wyndham Vale Primary School (WVPS) is looking forward to another great year of teaching and learning and would like to advise you of WVPS’s voluntary financial contributions for 2023.

Schools provide students with free instruction to fulfil the standard Victorian curriculum and we want to assure you that all contributions are voluntary. Nevertheless, the ongoing support of our families ensures that our school can offer the best possible education and support for our students. We want to thank you for all your support, whether that’s through fundraising or volunteering your time. This has made a huge difference to our school and the programs we can offer. Please note that we were able to keep the curriculum contribution fees the same as 2022 at $180.

Within our school this support has allowed us to purchase student supplies in bulk which results in a significant cost saving; assist with the purchasing of art, music and physical education resources which support staff to run exemplary programs; continue to upgrade and enhance our book stock for student use; and fund celebrations such as

Harmony Day as well as our numerous lunchtime clubs.

We are also able to subsidise many of our camps and excursions as well as the swimming program to make them more accessible to families. All of these programs run alongside our traditional classroom teaching and learning program and are imperative as they enable us to provide an effectively balanced and rigorous overall educational experience for your son or daughter.

We invite you to support our school financially, so that we can continue to provide these opportunities for all students, by making a Curriculum Contribution. These contributions were previously known as essential student materials levy. We thank you in advance for your support.

For further information on the Department’s Parent Payments Policy please see a one-page overview attached.

Yours sincerely,

Sue Seneviratne

Principal

Sharon Gatt

School Council President

Link to policy https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IY3WxBoWg279HWDZm-Eiq8BisgoF9-cE/view?usp=share_link

Dogs at School Policy

Since the arrival of our wellbeing dog Wynston, Wyndham Vale Primary School have a policy in place that defines the use of our new friend. Please note whilst Wyndham Vale Primary School understands that many families in our school community keep dogs as pets, to ensure that our school remains a safe and inclusive place for everyone, pet dogs are not permitted on school grounds under any circumstances.

Link to policy https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OpQNwyYOQH6i_beBqumK1ffCtD0Nk4xq/view?usp=share_link

Personal Property

Wyndham Vale Primary School understands that students may sometimes like to bring items of personal property to school for example sensory toys, playing cards and sports equipment. The Department of Education and Training does not have insurance for personal property of staff, students and visitors. Wyndham Vale Primary School does not take responsibility for items of personal property that are lost, stolen or damaged at school or during school activities. Damage to personal property brought to school is the responsibility of the owner of that property. Wyndham Vale Primary School encourages staff and students not to bring items of value to school, or

to obtain appropriate insurance for such items.

Link to policy https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tLH9T_E0cTPZAHLx2zEleuNQggKo1GjM/view

All of our current policies can be found on our school website: https://www.wyndhamvaleps.vic.edu.au

Kind regards

John Pickett

Assistant Principal 3-6

Grade 4 - Writing

Our Community Picnic

Werribee Mansion

This term the Year 2 students are learning about the history of our local area. In week 2 and 3 of this term, the students made their way to Werribee Mansion. While exploring the grounds of Werribee Mansion we discussed why this was a significant site and the history behind each of the buildings.

When going into the Mansion we learnt about how Thomas Chirnside and his family lived in the past. We got to explore the different rooms and learnt about the Moustache tea cup that men use to drink out of to keep the drink from wetting the moustache. When we went upstairs we actually got to experience the Children’s Room, where we got to play with toys from the 1800’s and also got to write on slate boards like the students would have back in the day.

THUNDERSTORM ASTHMA

A Reminder from the Department of Education

Thunderstorm Asthma — be prepared this pollen season

Grass pollen season, which runs from October to December each year, 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.

Wyndham Vale Primary School will implement a range of measures to keep our school community safe when 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 level of risk.

How you can prepare

During pollen 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 your child from the risk of thunderstorm asthma, 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.

Remain vigilant for COVID-19

It is important for students to manage any hay fever or asthma symptoms, as these conditions can produce symptoms such as fever, chills, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, and loss or change to sense of smell or taste, which are similar to COVID-19 symptoms.

If your child experiences these symptoms in different or worse ways to their usual hay fever or asthma symptoms, medical advice should be sought.

Find out more

For more information, visit your general practitioner (GP) or visit the Better Health Channel.

If you have any small size school uniforms that are no longer needed we would appreciate it if they could be donated to sick bay. Sizes 4 to 10 are what we require please.

School Hours

8.20am Yard supervision commences

8.35am Class doors open

8.45am School commences

10.45am - 11.15am Recess

1.15pm - 1.25 Lunch (inside)

1.25pm - 1.55pm Lunch (outside)

2.55pm - Dismissal

3.10pm - yard supervision ceases

If you need to collect your child before school ends

Please note that the best time to pick up your child from school early is while they are still in the classroom. It is very difficult for us to locate your child while they are in the yard during recess and lunch.

All late comers need to go straight to Ms. Dalton to be signed in.

Important Dates