School News

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Welcome back to Term 4 which is always an exciting one for our grade 6 students who are preparing for the end of their primary school journey.

School Review

In Term 1 next year, Epsom PS will be participating in a Department review. This collaborative and transparent process occurs every four years and is designed to improve learning outcomes, promote excellence across the curriculum and enhance the health and wellbeing of students.  

The next School Strategic Plan will be written after we have identified key goals and targets to improve student outcomes. We believe that every student, no matter their background or circumstances, has a right to learn in a school committed to improvement.

The review will support us to hone our professional practice and help to ensure that we continue to be collectively committed to the achievement of evidence based.

Thunderstorm Asthma Season

There is an increased risk of seasonal asthma, hay fever and epidemic thunderstorm asthma during seasons with increased grass pollen levels. This typically occurs between October and December.

Epidemic thunderstorm asthma events are triggered by a combination of higher grass pollen levels and a certain type of thunderstorm. Students with a history of asthma, undiagnosed asthma or hay fever are at an increased risk under these conditions.

The best way to reduce and prevent symptoms of asthma or hay fever and reduce  absences from school is to follow an up-to-date asthma action plan or hay fever treatment plan, provided by a general practitioner (GP) or specialist.

The VicEmergency app forecasts thunderstorm asthma risk between 1 October and 31 December for 3 days at a time (today, tomorrow and the day after) using a coloured scale from low risk (green), moderate risk (orange) to high risk (red). While not a formal warning, this information can help you manage risk and prepare. On a high-risk day, the VicEmergency warning platform will issue warnings and advice.  

Driveway

With the completion of the bridge work, traffic is flowing at a smoother rate. Please ensure that if you are utilising the drive through for pick up and drop off, that you drive as far as possible along the parking lane before stopping. When cars drop students off at the main entry for a quick exit, traffic can bank up along the road which is frustrating for other members of our community.

Student attendance

Epsom Primary School is being supported by the Department to drill down further into our attendance data. It is imperative that students attend school on a daily basis outside of illness or other other emergencies. The research supporting the link between attendance and learning cannot be disputed. If a child misses one day per fortnight, they miss upwards of 4 weeks per year, this equates to one year missed over their school life. 

Hats

As we enter the warmer seasons, please ensure that your child has a hat at school. Bucket hats with the Epsom logo should be worn - not peaked caps.

Waiting for Students after school

We have loved seeing parents flowing in through our gates again and welcome our community as partners in learning. If you are onsite watching a PE lesson at the end of the day before pick up, please support the teacher by ensuring that your child does not leave the class to say hello or or is distracted in any way.

Fit for Life

Morning fitness will be starting again in the next few weeks. As a part of our Fit for Life program, we have a number of staff who are working on the details of these morning sessions. Starting at 8:10 and finishing at 8:40 am, students will have the opportunity to build their fitness in a fun and collaborative way. Thank you to the families and students who have provided feedback on what they would like - we have taken suggestions into consideration. Please see the Wellbeing page in this newsletter for a greater explanation of the program. Dates for the commencement of this fitness program will be sent out in the near future.

External Scholarships

Scholarships are available for eligible students in Grade 4 to Year 11, and for Year 12 students planning to undertake tertiary studies in 2023.

The Department of Education and Training administers a number of scholarships that are available to eligible students who are currently enrolled in Grade 4 to Year 12 in 2022. 

Applicants for these scholarships will be evaluated on their:

• participation in school activities
• community involvement
• academic record for the current year.

Scholarships are either one-off payments or cover the duration of the student’s course or annual study. Many of these scholarships have specific eligibility criteria so please refer to individual applications for more information. Applications are open and close on Wednesday 1 February 2023.

For more information and a list of available scholarships, see the 2022 Student scholarships for Grade 4 – Year 12 fact sheet.  For information on how to apply, refer to  Student scholarships.

School Council

A reminder that school council will be meeting on Tuesday the 18th of October.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Kind regards,

Julie Ladd

Principal