The HEPS 'Aim High' Newsletter

Student and Community Learning and Wellbeing

Thank you 

Thank you to our wonderful Parents Association and Parent Volunteers for all the behind the scenes planning for our Mothers Day stall and Community movie night. Our students, parents, staff and whole school community appreciates your time, energy and committment to our school. This week our wonderful volunteers were recognised at our whole school assembly. We would also like to thank our student leaders who helped to sell snacks on the night. Anna, George, Aritha, Sachin, Jules and Jackson. 

Kinder Connections 

On Tuesday some of our Level 5 students visited a local kinder and built connections with some of our future Foundation students. Level 5 shared their favourite picture story books and engaged in both inside and outside play. 

 

 

Kinder story time 

We also would like to advertise our kinder connections story time sessions. All 4 and 3 year old kinder students and their parents are invited to attend at 12.15-12.45pm on the following Fridays. 

 

 

Student Attitude to School Survey (AtoSS) 

Over the next two weeks our Level 4, 5 and 6 students will be participating in the AtoSS survey.  This annual survey offered by the Department of Education will be administered in individual classrooms and is anonymous . At HEPS, we value student voice as a means to improving student engagement, wellbeing and quality instruction. We use the information collected in the survey annually to find out what our students think of school, their learning, peer relationships, resilience, health and wellbeing and physical activity. 

 

ICAS Parents information and payment system

 

We are delighted to inform you that  Heathmont East will be participating again in the world-renowned ICAS competition in 2023. ICAS stands for International Competition and Assessment for Schools. This year, Mathematics, English and Digital Technology assessments are available at a cost of $19.25 each. This is directly payable to ICAS. All students in level 3,4,5 and 6 at HEPS are welcome to participate. ICAS is not compulsory and is offered as an additional form of assessment that you as parents can view online. It is completely your choice as a parent if you would like your child to participate in the ICAS assessments. They are not compulsory and are not used as a teacher assessment tool at HEPS. Some students require them for select entry secondary schools or scholarship applications.     

 

If you do not wish for your child to participate they will continue to learn in the classroom while ICAS assessments are administered for participating students under test conditions in a separate classroom. The Parent payment system has been set up and instructions on how to register and pay are included below. The final date for registration and payment is Friday the 28th of July and we will communicate with you when HEPS students will sit this exam at a later date. If you have any questions about whether you would like your child to sit for the ICAS test please speak with your child’s classroom teacher or our High Ability Practice Leader Kim Holmes on kimberley.holmes@heathmonteastps.vic.edu.au

 

What is ICAS?  

ICAS is an online academic competition that is designed to assess students’ higher order thinking and problem-solving skills in a variety of subject areas.   

Each assessment celebrates students’ accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition and development. Every student who participates will receive a printed certificate and an online results report. Top performers will be eligible for medals.  If you would like to enter your child into ICAS this year you can copy these links into your browser to access. 

  

Learn more about ICAS here. (https://www.icasassessments.com/products-icas)  

  

How to participate in ICAS  

If you wish for your child to participate in ICAS this year, please:  

  1. Read about ICAS subjects and prices here: (icasassessments.com/products-icas)  
  2. Read the terms and conditions here: (icasassessments.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2023-ICAS-Assessments-Parents-PPS-TsCs_final.pdf) 
  3. Go to Parent Portal to purchase tests here: shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps  enter our school’s access code – VSN735
  4. Enter your child’s details, select the tests you would like to purchase, then proceed to payment.  

After payment is made via the Parent Payment System, you will receive an order confirmation email, please keep this for your records.  

If you would like to purchase past papers to revise at home please visit this site https://www.icasassessments.com/icas-past-papers/