Principal's Report

Christmas Carols rescheduled Monday 9th December

Unfortunately due to the unpredictable weather Melbourne has been experiencing, we needed to postpone our annual Carols Night. It has been rescheduled for this Monday at 7pm December 9th. We are looking forward to a warm night and hope to see our community join us for what is traditionally a wonderful evening. The barbecue, cake stall ice-creams and drinks stall and the Bizarre Bazaar market will all be operating.

Christmas Spirit

As part of our annual Christmas traditions, we put up our Christmas trees in the Gallery and this year we have a new one in the centre of the BER. Thanks to Hayden D from grade 6 who helped to erect the tree. We have been able to decorate it with a bauble made by everyone of our students. We will use these as centre pieces for the JSC fundraising.

Parent Helpers Morning Tea

If you have assisted the school at any time this year, whether it be in the classroom, at the canteen, helping with swimming or going on excursions we warmly invite you to join us the Parent Helpers Morning tea to be held in the school hall on Wednesday 11th December, commencing at 10:40am. This event is catered for by the staff as a way of acknowledging how much we value the support we receive from our community.

Children Giving to Children

Our annual event run by the Junior School Council will begin next week. This is an opportunity for children to donate a gift that will be given to other children who may not experience such a wonderful Christmas. We have decorated our tree and created a special space in our Gallery where we are going to promote the idea of caring for others. We have suggested a maximum limit of $10. The toys will be donated to the Salvation Army Toy Appeal. Donations of non-perishable foods may also be dropped off at the Christmas Tree in the BER, for the Diamond Valley Food Share Inc. Christmas Appeal.

Grade Structure for 2020

Following a great deal of discussion and exploration of various grade structures, we have decided to adopt the following option - Prep (x4), Grade 1 (x4), Grade 2 (x3) Grade 3 (x4), Grade 4 (x3), 1x Grade 4/5 Grade 5 (x3) Grade 6 (x3). We have had to consider the number of classrooms available and what will provide students with the maximum learning opportunities. It will allow us to preserve all our specialist teaching programs and provide a balance in grade numbers across the school.

At this stage, our specialist teaching programs will include Visual and Performing Arts, ICT Coaching, Physical Education, Science, LOTE –Japanese, support and extension programs will continue for Literacy and Numeracy.

As with any planning decisions if our enrolment figures were to change dramatically this may necessitate a review of these arrangements.

A Day in the Life Program

Ensuring our students have a smooth transition from one grade to the next grade each year is very important to us. At this time of the year we put an enormous amount of effort into placing students into grades for the following year and into our transition program. On Tuesday 10th December, all children will spend half a day experiencing the activities and routines of the next year level, they may not necessarily be with the teacher they will be having the following year. On Monday 16th December, they will meet their new teacher and classmates for 2020.

Children Arriving Early

We have noticed that we will have quite a few children in the schoolyard as early as 8:20am. I remind parents that the yard is patrolled from 8: 45am until 9:00am. Should you need to send your child to school earlier than this, please consider using the SAC program that operates from 7:00am.

Janet Ringrose

Principal