From the
Assistant
Principal
WHERE CHILDREN LOVE TO BE
I AM GRATEFUL FOR...
Returning to school on Friday and the easing of restrictions! I am very much looking forward to seeing all our students back on site.
COVID-19 UPDATE
We are very excited to see all the students back at school tomorrow! We have our updated guidelines and we will be asking all families to ‘hug and run’ at the door but not enter any classrooms. Furthermore, we ask that all adults make sure they are wearing their masks when on school grounds and that they maintain 1.5 metre social distancing at all times.
Breakfast Club is considered ‘essential service’ so breakfast club is open as of tomorrow and volunteers permitted to help run the program. Parents and helpers must stay wearing their masks and social distancing. At this stage unfortunately we will not be able to have any parent helpers in the classrooms
NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK
National Reconciliation Week from the 27th of May to 3rd of June is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. This is always an important time for us to acknowledge, no matter what else is going on across the world. Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians – as individuals, families, communities, organisations, and importantly as a nation. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We all have a role to play when it comes to reconciliation, and in playing our part we collectively build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures, and futures
We highly recommend watching the following:
2021 marks twenty years of Reconciliation Australia and almost three decades of Australia’s formal reconciliation process.
Find out more about National Reconciliation Week #MoreThanAWord #NRW2021
KICK-OFF AREA AND CLUBS
As a school we want South Melbourne Park to be a ‘place where children love to be’, and to this end we try to provide a wide range of opportunities for our students at lunch time and recess. This includes a variety of play spaces and clubs for students to attend. At this stage we have the kick-off area open on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We are exploring other opportunities to have the kick-off area open more often. If any of our parents would be willing to volunteer their time from 11:40 – 12:30 we would love to hear from you, please contact the office via south.melbourne.park.ps@education.vic.gov.au. Please note that for this particular support we are looking for volunteers that could potentially commit to a day during this time for the whole term, rather than a one off timeslot.
HEALTH AND WELLBEING SUPPORTS
We want to remind everyone to look after yourself and to reach out to services that can support you if you need them. Below we have listed a number of supports that you can access and locations where you can find more information.
Coronavirus Hotline (1800 675 398)
If you suspect you may have the coronavirus (COVID-19), call this dedicated hotline.
National Coronavirus Helpline (1800 020 080)
Call if you are seeking information on coronavirus.
Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636)
Beyond Blue’s new COVID-19 Mental Health Support Service is working around the clock to build a dedicated COVID-19 Mental Health Support Service.
Lifeline (13 11 14)
A generalist and crisis telephone counselling, information and referral service, provided by trained volunteers who are supported by professional staff.
Kids Helpline (1800 551 800)
Provides confidential telephone and online counselling services to young people aged 5-25 years old for any reason.
The Orange Door (1800 319 353)
A free service for adults, children and young people who are experiencing or have experienced family violence and families who need extra support with the care of children.
Safe Steps (1800 015 188)
The safe steps response phone line connects women and their children with specialist support workers who can help them explore their options, develop a safety plan and access supports that allow them to live safe from family violence.
Crisis Accommodation (9792 0750)
Emergency accommodation for those suddenly experiencing homelessness.
Bk 2 Basics (0401 050 732)
Food Relief - Assists struggling families to keep food on the table and help ensure everyone has a healthy meal. No Health care Card or evidence of financial hardship required. ID registration of some kind is required to ensure equity of support to those in need.
As always, thank you for your continued support and efforts to ‘stay connected’.
STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE
The Strategic Development and Engagement sub-committee is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of the school’s Strategic Plan and Annual Implementation Plan, the development of a key project roadmap for the school and to develop innovative approaches to grow levels of engagement and reputation with the broader school community (including support of Parent & Friends).
We are looking for more members for this subcommittee, it is a great way to get involved in the school direction and policy making.
If you would like more information or if you would like to get involved please contact Paul Dobney via Paul.Dobney@education.vic.gov.au
GET ACTIVE KIDS VOUCHER PROGRAM
The Get Active Kids Voucher Program helps eligible families get their kids involved in organised sport and recreation activities by reimbursing the cost of membership and registration fees, uniforms and equipment. Eligible children may be able to receive up to $200 each. You can find more information on their website: