Principal's Report

Dear Parents and Carers,

Showcase – what a performance!!!!!

What a delightful afternoon we had on Friday 14 October at the Junior Showcase. Held in the School Hall under threatening skies, the rain held off during the concert, as parents and staff watched the performance. Prep and Year 1 students were magnificent in the items performed and in their excellent behaviour as an attentive audience when waiting to perform. The response from parents to attend this afternoon performance as we reintroduce Showcase to our school community was unexpected in its enthusiasm; we were delighted to see so many of you at our Junior Showcase, and hope you loved seeing your child perform. You can be very proud of your children! Thanks to our Year 6 parent volunteers who organised a cuppa for our audience afterwards. 

Our Years 2 to 6 students performed at Showcase last Friday, 21 October; this wonderful concert was held at Robert Blackwood Hall at Monash University. 

Thanks to Alyssa Kennedy and Jess Wynne for their outstanding and diligent work in preparing the students and for their organisation and planning.

Prep 2023

It was wonderful to see nearly all the children enrolled to commence in Prep next year at the first session of the Prep 2023 School Transition Program on Tuesday 11 October. Kelvin Tang presented information about numeracy in Prep to the parents who were able to stay while their children enjoyed their session in the Prep classrooms. 

The second transition session was held today, and was very well attended. The children enjoyed activities in our specialist areas of P.E., Visual Arts, Music and Indonesian. Thanks to Julie Zuk, our school first aid officer, for her presentation to parents about the best ways to prepare your child for school. The children have two more sessions in their transition program. An Information Evening for parents/guardians will be held on Tuesday 8 November.

School Uniform Supplier

Over the past few months, the school, through School Council, has renegotiated the supply of our School Uniform. I am very pleased to announce that Spartan School World is our new uniform supplier. 

They are located on the corner of Essex and Surrey Roads in Mount Waverley, just down from our school. PSW will cease selling our uniform on Friday 4 November. There will be a brief transition period before Spartan School World will begin selling our uniform from their shop in Mount Waverley. I will inform all families as soon as our uniform is available from this store.

No students at school next Monday & Tuesday

Families are reminded that on Monday 31 October staff will have their Professional Practice Day for this term, and students do not attend school on this day. Care will be provided for students enrolled in the OSHC program if required; booking essential. Next Tuesday, 1 November, is the Melbourne Cup public holiday and the school will be closed. We look forward to seeing the children back on Wednesday next week. 

Happy Diwali

Diwali was celebrated on Monday 24 October. On behalf of our whole community, I would like to wish a Happy Diwali to all the families that celebrate this special day. The festival of lights signifies peace and joy, the victory of good over evil, and light over darkness. I hope that this celebration may have even greater significance as we move out of our dark times and give thanks for our reopening as a society. Best wishes to all EHPS families celebrating, and I hope that you have the opportunity to celebrate with your families.

Planning for 2023

This week I informed you that during Term 4 we are focussing on planning all aspects of our school for 2023 including the staffing and class structures. At this stage we expect to have 24 classes, including the strong possibility of five Prep classes. There has been continued enrolment interest for 2023, as many families in the Mount Waverley area continue to seek our outstanding educational opportunities and the facilities available at EHPS.

At this time of year, children are often thinking about next year and their transition into the next year level. The staff are focussed on their students, their health and wellbeing as well as the many important factors necessary for the children to have a successful transition into 2023. Creating new class groups for next year will enable children to grow their friendship group across the year level as well as to be challenged with different thinking educationally.

The process of class creation is a very complex task, as there are many factors to consider before deciding the best student combinations. The educational needs of each child must be the most important criteria so that each has the best prospect of learning to their full potential. When developing class lists, teachers ensure that each class has an equitable spread of boys and girls with a range of academic abilities. Student compatibility and behaviour is also considered, and students are placed with children with whom they work well. This process is about placing children together who cooperate and get along in their learning. Children’s feedback will be sought by their classroom teacher. The allocation of classes takes many hours of consideration and planning by staff and it is taken very seriously to ensure that the children’s learning potential is maximised.

As always, in the formation of new classes, the children’s educational needs and the maintenance of positive working groups will be important criteria used to guide placement.  If you have matters that are of interest to the educational needs of your child, please put them in writing and return to me by Friday 4 November. This, of course, is an opportunity for me to gain an insight into the matters that you see as important for the educational wellbeing of your child. Our staff will consider requests carefully when allocating students to classes and I can assure you that all information will be always handled confidentially.

Please note however that I cannot guarantee that requests will be met due to the many competing and complex priorities throughout this process. I would like to emphasise that all staff at EHPS are highly competent professionals who work for the best of all children. Any genuine issue will be considered seriously, however special requests for particular teachers will NOT be contemplated. Students will be placed in classes that best suits their best educational needs and the overall requirements of the school.

As parents you play an important role in modelling resilience to your children. Thought should be given now, as to how you will respond in coming months if your child has an issue with their class grouping. It is appropriate to discuss the matter with your child so that you can understand their concern and you may undertake to raise a query with a staff member. It is most important though to model responsible and proactive behaviour that encourages a child to understand that there are many opportunities outside of class time to be with friends, and this class arrangement will be an opportunity to make new friends and new working relationships.

Also essential to our consideration in our planning and preparation is knowing if children are leaving EHPS. As has been requested in recent issues of Contact, if your child is leaving EHPS either this term or not returning in 2023, it is essential that you advise me in writing as soon as possible to the school email address with the following details: 

• Child’s name and 2022 class 
• Date of last day at EHPS (Tuesday 20 December is the last day of Term 4 2022 / 2022 school year) 
• Name of the school your child is enrolled at 
• Commencement date at new school (Friday 27 January 2023 is the first day of the new school year) 
• The reason for leaving EHPS  
• New contact details, e.g. address, phone number, email

Children’s Week 2022

This week is Children’s Week, a national campaign that recognises the talents, skills, achievements and rights of children.

This year, Children’s Week runs from Saturday 22 October to Sunday 30 October, with thousands of Victorian children and families expected to take part.

The theme for Children’s Week 2022 is ‘all children have the right to a standard of living that supports their wellbeing and healthy development’, drawn from Article 27 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

During Children’s Week, a range of in-person and online events are hosted by community organisations, which celebrate childhood and showcase children’s achievements.

More than 140 events are being held across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.

Children’s Week events are free to Victorian families with children aged up to 12. This gives families the opportunity to enjoy fun, engaging and educational experiences.

Here is a list of free activities across the state – CLICK HERE. 

Important Reminders

I’d just like to remind you of some important recent changes and requests:

• School Dismissal 
  • All students are now dismissed from their classroom at 3.30pm. 
  • Please wait outside the classroom until classes are dismissed. It is important not to arrive too early. 
  • Do not disturb the class in any way, e.g. by looking in windows, waving to children etc. It is important for children to remain focused until they are dismissed.
  • The last 10 minutes are very important for teachers because they will be giving the children last minute instructions and wrapping up the day.
  • Parents should continue to follow the safe practices that have been in place over the past two years. Please continue to maintain reasonable social distancing for the ongoing health and wellbeing of all. Also, avoid congregating too close to the classroom and allow plenty of space around the classroom door.
  • If you have two or more children at EHPS, please ensure your children are clear about pick up arrangements before the school day commences. For example, if you make arrangements with your older child to meet you at their younger sibling’s classroom, please communicate this to your child and that child’s classroom teacher.
  • Cassy, Gabby and Jo, our Office staff, are happy to relay urgent and unexpected changes to family circumstances that have occurred during the day, but please make sure that you make contact by phoning the School Office (please do not email). Our Office Staff are not in a position to convey reminders to your children. Please ensure that the children are clear on any arrangements that you would like them to follow. 
• School Canteen – our Canteen has gone cashless; lunches now ordered online via Compass. Place orders by 8.30am on the day required. The transition of our Canteen to the online ordering system is generally going well. Families are enjoying the ease of ordering online and not having to scramble for loose change or a paper bag. 
  You are able to place orders using the Canteen dashboard for a day (not later than 8.30am), the next week, fortnight, or indeed all orders until the Canteen closes at the end of this term on Friday 9 December. Families are reminded that Maria Vlahos, our Canteen Manager, is also transitioning to this new way of operation. If you are not already on the Canteen roster, and are available and willing to assist Maria with lunch order preparation, please volunteer your availability by completing the Canteen Volunteer form in School Documentation under the Community menu in Compass, and hand in at the School Office. As with all volunteering at school, you must hold a current Working with Children Check to offer your help. 
• Staff & Permit Car Park – Now that families can enter the school grounds from any gate there is no need for families to walk their children through the Staff & Permit car park at the front of the school to access the school grounds. This is a serious safety issue and I want to strongly discourage this practice. This was only permitted when we had to segregate entry and we had a teacher on duty. That is no longer the case.
• Parking and courtesy around school – I would like to remind all families to park only in the designated spaces in Essex Road or surrounding streets. Please obey road rules when parking or travelling around the school, e.g. no U‑turns across solid line in Essex Road in front of school. 
• Also, please do not park across neighbours’ driveways. It is also very important to remember that the Kiss & Go zone at the front of the school, between 8.30am and 9.30am (start of school day) and 3pm to 4pm (end of school day), is not a place to park and leave your car. This zone is an area that allows for maximum two minute parking, so that you can drop off/pick up your children. You must not leave your vehicle. 
• Absence on a family holiday during the school term – Thank you to the families that have informed me of upcoming family holidays. It is a Department of Education & Training requirement that permission must be granted from me, for a child to take a holiday during a school term. Please forward details of your impending holiday plans by email (please use the school email address – essex.heights.ps@education.vic.gov.au), and upon receipt of my acknowledgement, add a Family Holiday attendance note on Compass and notify the classroom teacher.

Recognition

Our Year 1 teacher Karen Watts had a delightful start to her day when she received a World Teachers' Day Award from Matific, and received a hamper and certificate. Karen was nominated by one of her students, Ella. Well done Karen, and thank you Ella for your thoughtfulness and appreciation.

World Teachers' Day

Today is World Teachers' Day. The staff thank the Parents & Friends Club who, on behalf of the school community, gifted each staff member with a lovely Freckleberry chocolate treat in recognition of our efforts for the children and our community. 

Congratulations!

We were delighted to receive the news of the safe arrival of Thomas Philip, second son of Sarah Edwards (Bu Sarah) and her husband Matt. 

Welcome & Farewell

We welcome the following student and their family to the EHPS community:

• Shu Yu (Lucas) W (PDB) 

Farewell to the following students and their families:

• Katarina P (1K) 
• Mitchell S (4G) 

All the best at your new schools.

See you around the school. 

Kindest regards,

George Perini

Principal