Dear Families,

WELCOME BBQ

Last Thursday night was a great success. How great it was for our community to come together and catch up over a meal.

"TALKING HISTORY"

A segment in the School newsletter called "Talking History" is beginning in 2023. It will be primarily for the Toolamba Primary School children and the school's families (past and present) to use but also be for people in Toolamba and the surrounding Districts who are interested in the areas' history (eg for special occasions like ANZAC DAY or family ancestry reasons):

Have you noticed there has been a Display Cabinet placed in the school entrance opposite the Business Manager's office. So do feel welcome to come and have a look at it. This is where future donated historical contributions would be housed.

The Principal, Mrs Kennedy, the President, and Members of the School Council have accepted this gift from Ronald Richards (a great uncle of William Richards 3/4T) on behalf of the Toolamba Primary School Community for the purpose of using it as a History Cabinet. Capturing local history before it may be lost is the aim. It will be owned by the school and the Toolamba Community.

In it, any history both past and present, of those who have contributed to Toolamba's history and its development, will be placed. The First Nations Peoples' contributions will be the starting point and then working forward to the future.

We would be pleased if anyone would be ready to start to bring forward their ideas and history. Information can be original or copied e.g., photographs, written, or anything else that would help piece together the fascinating story of Toolamba and Districts.

To make this idea work, I will need your support and encouragement. There will be a need to coordinate the items and for this reason, Mrs Kennedy has asked me if I would look after the cabinet for the time being. I said I would. Interested others are invited to join me.

Please feel comfortable to make contact. I look forward to hearing from and/or meeting you. (m. 0468 458 215).

Cheryl Richards {nee Pogue].

Until the next TALKING HISTORY when we will explain how to make any permanent donations.

SCHOOL COUNCIL

Our first meeting for the year will be on Monday 20th February at 6.30pm Finance will commence at 6pm.

BREAKFAST CLUB

Breakfast Club will commence on Wednesday 22nd February. Thank you to those people who have volunteered to help out. Any other interested people can add their name to the roster by using the Skool Loop app under the 'Interview' tile.

BUSH FIRE AT RISK REGISTER

Toolamba Primary School is listed on the Bush Fire At Risk Register.

School preparedness and pre-emptive actions for the bushfire season

Fire danger ratings indicate how dangerous a fire would be if one started in those conditions and provide clear direction on the safest options for preserving life. They can be a trigger for action in community and for school and household level fire plans.

Schools and children’s services listed on the Department of Education and Training’s Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR) and those at some lower risk of bushfire or grassfire on the Category 4 list will be closed when a Catastrophic fire danger rating day is forecast in their Bureau of Meteorology district.

Schools and early childhood services listed on the Department of Education and Training’s Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR) and those at lower risk of bushfire or grassfire on the Category 4 list take pre-emptive actions on elevated fire danger days to minimise the risk of being caught in a fire in these conditions. The category of risk (per the BARR or Category 4 list) determines the actions that the school or early childhood service will need to take on days of elevated fire danger.

Our school has been identified as being one of these schools at high bushfire or grassfire risk and is a BARR school.

Our school will close on a day forecasted as Catastrophic fire danger rating in Greater Shepparton City fire district.

The department will advise our school of the potential for a Catastrophic fire danger rating as information becomes available, however the pre-emptive closure will be confirmed by 1pm the day prior to Catastrophic fire danger day.

Fire danger ratings are forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology up to four days in advance. Should a Catastrophic day be forecast, we will notify you of the potential closure by an email, push notification and SMS. Closure of the school due to a forecast Catastrophic day will be confirmed on the day prior and we will provide you with advice before the end of the school day.

Once confirmed, the decision to close will not change, regardless of improvements in the weather forecast. This is to avoid confusion and help your family plan alternative care arrangements for your child. It is also important to note that:

No staff will be on site on days where the school is closed due to a forecast Catastrophic day.
Out-of-school-hours care will also be cancelled on these days.
School camps will be cancelled if a Catastrophic fire danger rating day is forecast for the Bureau of Meteorology district in which the camp is located, or if the travel involves passing through areas that have Catastrophic fire danger.
All bus routes that travel through the Catastrophic area will be cancelled.

Families are encouraged to enact their Bushfire Survival Plan on Catastrophic fire danger rating days. On such days, children should never be left at home alone or in the care of older children.

For those of us living in a bushfire prone area, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) advises that when Catastrophic days are forecast, the safest option is to leave the night before or early on the morning of the Catastrophic day.

As part of preparing our school for potential hazards such as fire, we have updated and completed our Emergency Management Plan and reprioritised any maintenance works that may assist in preparing for the threat of fire and cleared our facility’s grounds and gutters.

What can parents do?

Make sure your family’s bushfire survival plan is up-to-date and includes alternative care arrangements in the event that our school is closed due to elevated fire danger or a Catastrophic fire forecast. Further information can be found on the CFA’s website.
Ensure we have your current contact details, including your mobile phone numbers. Keep in touch with us by reading our newsletters, checking our website www.toolambaps.vic.edu.au by talking to your child’s teacher or any other member of the teaching staff about our emergency management plan.
Most importantly at this time of year, if you’re planning a holiday or short stay in the bush or in a coastal area, you should check warnings in advance of travel and remain vigilant during your stay. If your child is old enough, talk to them about bushfires and your family’s Bushfire Survival Plan.
You can access current information about school and early childhood services closures, including those due to elevated fire danger, on the Department of Education and Training’s website see
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/health/pages/closures.aspx

Multiple sources that offer information on emergencies are listed below:

VicEmergency app – that can be downloaded on your android and iOS mobile devices
VicEmergency Hotline (1800 226 226)
Website https://emergency.vic.gov.au
ABC local radio, Sky News and other emergency broadcasters

Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/vicemergency)
Twitter (https://twitter.com/vicemergency)

Enjoy your weekend,

Regards Heather

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