A note from Mr Jackson
Students Start
It has been a joy to visit classrooms over the last few days and watch students settle into their new learning communities. While there has been a heightened level of excitement and anticipation, students have also shown an eagerness to reconnect with friends and build connections with each other. We look forward ahead as we settle into learning.
Over the coming few weeks, students will be establishing new rhythms of learning, clarifying classroom expectations and settling into habits that support learning and reinforce a positive sense of wellbeing. This is part of each learning area’s ‘start-up’ program. An induction into life in their new classroom, this start-up experience enables students to build relationships, shape engagement and begin the year on a positive note.
Welcome to Our 2023 Preps
Today marks a significant transition for families who see their child/ren start Prep. It was a wonderful experience to enjoy this moment with parents this morning over a brief coffee and just a few tissues! We welcome them warmly to our community and look forward to journeying with them over the coming days and years.
Curriculum Day Update
Last Friday teachers joined to prepare for the coming year. While all our staff had been onsite during their holidays to sort rooms and begin developing resources, Friday was an opportunity to explore a range of common whole school organisational practices and occupational health and safety strategies. It was also good to get together and plant our feet as a team into 2023.
On Monday, classroom teachers explored the teaching and learning of Mathematics. Through the use of open ended rich mathematical inquiries, teachers lerant how to differentiate learning for students. Facilitated by Michael Minas, an expert in mathematical instruction, the day proved a resourceful experience that will support student learning into the coming year.
COVID19 Settings
As we return to school we continue to be conscious and vigilant in minimising the risk of infection from COVID.
All staff, students and visitors to schools should practice good hand hygiene, particularly on arrival to school, before and after eating, after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing or using the toilet.
Staff and students who wish to wear a face mask are supported to do so. Face masks are available for staff, students and visitors at the office. The Department of Health recommends that masks should be worn by a person who is a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 when leaving home. Additionally, the Department of Health recommends that masks should be worn by a person who has COVID-19 for at least 7 days after a positive test when they need to leave home.
It is important that any student who is showing symptoms of COVID-19 remain at home. Parents of students who are symptomatic will be asked to collect their child from school and to keep them home until they are no longer symptomatic.
If your child tests positive:
- Parents/carers should complete the Student COVID-19 COVID Test Portal if their child tests positive to COVID-19 (via a PCR or rapid antigen test).
- Students who report a positive result are recommended to isolate for a minimum of 5 days and not attend school until their symptoms have resolved.
Coming Up: Parent Teacher Interviews
A collection of dates were published on the newsfeed yesterday. Please make sure that you are available on the afternoon of Tuesday 14 February. Further information will be published on Compass inviting you to participate in a Parent Teacher interview. Although these are brief meetings, they are an important opportunity to meet your child’s teacher and share any important information. Bookings will be open shortly.
Uniforms
Thanks to all those who have ordered uniforms for the start of the year. The use of Qkr! enables us to quickly and efficiently prepare orders that can be picked up from the office!
Our Year 6 students await the arrival of their hoodies and Year 6 shirts. A well worn path to my door is evidence of their anticipation of the impending arrival!
Please make sure that your child’s uniform, along with other possessions are clearly labelled with their name and class. Any lost property that is labelled will be returned to the child’s classroom while unlabeled items are placed in the lost property cupboard.
TheirCare also handed over lost property from their recent Holiday Program. If you are missing any 'non' uniform items they too have been placed in the lost property cupboard.
Annual Privacy Update
Our school collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy.
Please take time to remind yourself of our school’s collection notice, found on our website. For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy — information for parents. This information is also available in a range of community languages.
Lego Gift
A special thanks to a family who have donated a large amount of Lego to the 1/2 Learning Area. In a passionate cleanup over the holiday, they decided that the Lego could be better used by all our students at school! Thanks for your generosity.
Around the Yard
A special thanks to those who shared in the job of cleaning up our school over the weekend. Their efforts filled a truck with leaves and left our yard neat and tidy, ready for the start of school. Such actions of generosity are greatly appreciated! A special shout-out to our new prep parents with children who have yet to attend and yet who were present in force! Keep your ears out for the first Working Bee that will help replenish the softfall under our playgrounds, trim some bushes and branches, clear drains and make the school sparkle.
Our towering goal posts purchased with fundraising of FORPS stand tall on the oval. It has been great to see a number of energetic students enjoying them!
Our lawns have been cared for by the garden gnome group! They have kept the grass low with whipper snipers and mowers leaving the premises neat and tidy. If you have a local mower and are happy to mow in some of our hard to get to places then please let the office know by shooting us an email. We would love to have some extra hands.
Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF)
Every Victorian child should have access to the world of learning opportunities that exist beyond the classroom. The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps ensure that no student will miss out on the opportunity to join their classmates for important, educational and fun activities. It is part of making Victoria the Education State and the Government’s commitment to breaking the link between a student’s background and their outcomes.
If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. The allowance is paid to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.
More information can be found here.
The CSEF application form can be found here. We are more than happy to support you to complete this documentation if you wish.
Single Use Plastics Ban
We are excited to see the ban of single-use plastics, that make up a third of the litter in our environment and are difficult and costly to clean up. They pollute the environment, harming wildlife and contaminating our food and water. They are also a poor use of resources – they are often used for only a few minutes and generate significant waste that is not recyclable. They can often easily be replaced with reusable products.
We will be implementing the Victorian government’s single-use plastics ban in the items we use as a school community including at special community events, classroom learning experiences and at the canteen.
Offences relating to the ban do not apply to private or domestic activities at home, e.g. individual families’ decisions about lunch packaging. The intention of the government’s new regulations is to remove these items from the supply chain prior to reaching the customer.