From the Principal

Welcome to IPS

Dear community, 

Thank you to those families who have already paid the Digital Learning Technologies (Voluntary) Co-contribution. As I said previously,  this fund goes a long way to keeping our programs resourced and also help us continue to provide support should "remote school" continue longer than anticipated. More information on the DLT page of this newsletter.

While we remain in "lockdown"  school business continues and we are trying to get significant parts of our capital works program completed while the school grounds are only partly occupied. 

A new power supply is being brought into the school to manage the eight new classrooms which has resulted in the digging up of part of the front garden. Once completed a future working bee might be needed to do some replanting.

The arborists we use have completed a full safety audit of our trees and the report will inform us of any works required to maintain our beautiful grounds. Apart from some low hanging branches and some some minor trimming our trees are in good shape.

We are costing repairs to the exterior of the Waterdale Rd building that faces the internal courtyard to replace rotting timbers and leaky downpipes.

Cleaning the filters in our air cons and heaters as well as deep cleaning our students toilets and drinking fountains in readiness for when we can all return to school.

Our 2021 Foundation enrolments are now open

Our 2021 Foundation enrolments are now open.

If you have a Foundation student starting with us next year we welcome you to submit enrolment forms by email or post at this time. Feel free to drop off into the school letterbox located on Waterdale Road too.

Our current families do not need to concern themselves with enrolment cut off dates. Younger siblings of our current students will be offered a place in 2021 and if you would prefer to hand your enrolment forms in at a later date once we are all back on site then this is fine too.

If you have any queries please email the school admin team on 

ivanhoe.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au and they will be able to help you.

Ideas provided for parents and carers to use with their children

At the moment, due to COVID, I do not see my parents or my adult children and I'm cognisant of the fact many children will be unable to connect with their grandparents or relatives that do not live with them. In trying to source tools to help connect children with family I was pointed in the direction of an "app" that appears to do the trick. 

Obviously no "app" is perfect but a librarian friend sent me a link to one called Caribu which advertises itself as a "...  a family-friendly video-calling app that makes it easier to help parents and grandparents connect with their kids. Now, amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, the company is offering it for free, with unlimited access, to help bridge the gap created by social distancing and self-isolation."

While not endorsing third party products I did like the idea that family members in different households could share a program where one could read a story to someone else and be in control of turning the pages etc.  https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/caribu

Of course always supervise children online. 

IPS stay connected challenge

Two weeks ago I put out the challenge to share some photos and videos, stories and writings and anything else that might be emailed through to ivanhoeprimaryvic@gmail.com with the promise  I would share some of them with you. Please check out the Learning From Home page to see what has been shared.  There are a few challenges there:

• Max would like to see others promoting their house colours.
• Abigail would like to see videos of people dressing up to put their bins out
• Mr Kent would like to any family member to capture themselves reading a story, a riddle, joke or fact to share.

Here's my effort at using technology to share a story. I hope you will have a go too because if I can do it you can. I made this on my phone and and then cleaned it up on an iPad.

Last week I received some fabulous writings as well as some procedural photos.  Please show your children and inspire them to send me something for next week's newsletter.

Finally

In embracing  change and trying new ways of doing things we need to be open to failure and celebrate success.

Teachers, parents and students  need to have it clearly articulated that it is ok when things don't work, we just reset, tomorrow, next week, after a break and try again.

In week three Remote School the number of challenges for most of us have decreased and most of us are doing school better.

The successes I see across the community each week is inspiring. I am certain when we return to school all of us, staff, students and parents will be better teachers and learners with a greater sense of empathy than  ever before.

Working from home and self isolation presents significant challenges for everyone. Have compassion for yourselves and for your children and focus on building new levels of relationships with the people who are most important to you.

Remember to send your newsletter contributions to ivanhoeprimaryvic@gmail.com 

Remember, we are all in this together.

Stay safe and stay connected.

Regards

Mark Kent

Principal