News from HWPS

Dear Families,

I trust this fortnight’s newsletter finds you and your family well.

We were all very excited to celebrate our Foundation students attending school for their first full week. It has been amazing to see how quickly and confidently the Foundation students have settled into school life and are enjoying exploring the ‘big’ playground.

Pancake Tuesday was a special day in the Foundation calendar. Our students had a wonderful time decorating and then munching on their pancakes. This shared experience also provided a wonderful learning opportunity for our children.

Each year the Department provides a special Book Bag to all Foundation students.

Once again, the bag is filled with lovely picture books and supportive information.

‘My Two Blankets’ by Irena Kobald
‘Where is Galah?’ by Sally Morgan
‘The Second Sky’ by Patrick Guest
'Frog on a Log in a Bog’ by Andy Griffiths

Families were also provided with a booklet ‘Literacy and Numeracy Tips to help your child every day' . Link

Community Events

The HWPS Community and Fundraising Committee are finalising plans for our 2022 community events.

Hunt out those walking shoes – it’s Lapathon time again!!

The first whole school community event for 2022 is our annual Hawthorn West Primary School Lapathon. All our students actively participate in running, skipping or walking laps around St James Park and we encourage students to seek support for their involvement from families and friends through sponsorship pledges.

All monies raised from this event will be put toward constructing a new shade sail over our senior playground.

Lapathon flyers and sponsorship forms have been handed out to students and further information about the event is on the school website and in your Compass account.

There are great prizes to be won and house points for every lap that students complete.

We are looking forward to a fabulous community event.

Working Bee – Sunday 20th March (9.30am -12.00pm)

During the extended lockdown, the weeds and the weather have had their way with our school grounds. The Buildings and Grounds sub-committee is organising a Working Bee to spruce up our grounds. Working Bees are the perfect opportunity for parents, carers and children of all ages to come together, socialise and collaborate on jobs to maintain and enhance the wonderful school grounds we are custodians of.

If you have some time to join us on Sunday 20th, please complete the Google Form link: https://forms.gle/aDMoNp9WBN3dSmVN8

We would love to see you.

School Uniform

As a school community we are very proud of our fresh, clean and crisp looking student uniform, however, it saddens me when I see the Lost Property cupboard filled with lost, misplaced and unnamed items. I encourage everyone to check their uniform and if it doesn’t have a name on it, please see to it ASAP as we do have staff who are responsible for checking the lost property cupboard and they do return named items to the rightful owner on a very regular basis.

Grounds Update: Conversation Pit Project

Work recommenced this week on completing our Conversation Pit. Many of our students were enthralled watching the machinery moving large rocks and digging up the bricks. This new space will be the perfect place for our students to ‘chill out’ in and also double up as a wonderful outdoor learning area.

COVID updates

Thank you for the care you are showing each other by keeping your children home when they are unwell and by undertaking the rapid antigen tests twice a week.

The rapid antigen test program will continue until the end of Term 1.

Thank you to the parents and carers who have been adding details to the Student COVID reporting portal if their child is COVID positive.

We have a number of families being impacted by COVID at present and we cannot emphasise enough the importance of continuing to regularly administer the Rapid Antigen Tests twice a week. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries.

Changes to staggered pick up groups

The staggered pick up arrangements at the end of each day will continue next week, however, the groupings will switch around:

Week 6
- Surname A - L pick up time 3:15pm
- Surname M - Z pick up time 3:30pm

(all groupings are by student surname)

Public Holiday:

A reminder that Monday 14th March is the Labour Day Holiday and all schools are closed on that day.

Congratulations to:

Ashkan and Lila, two of our School Leaders, who conducted their first tour for prospective parents on Tuesday. Both Ashkan and Lila confidently answered questions and shared the strengths and special features of our school.
The 16 students who represented Hawthorn West Primary School at the Boroondara Division Swimming Sports on Tuesday. They demonstrated great sportsmanship as they strived to achieve their best. Some of our swimmers qualified to swim in finals after successful heat results.
Special congratulations to Rudy G who will represent the school and district at the Eastern Metropolitan Region Competition on the 25th March next Tuesday.
Our newly-elected Junior School Council Group representatives.

Wishing you a safe and happy fortnight.

Warm regards,

Glenys

Foundation Pancake Day!