Please take the time to read each page of our newsletter, as we provide you with information updates across each curriculum area.

For Term One 2022 start dates and school events, please refer to the "Calendar of Events".

Introducing our 2022 School Captains

Today we held our end-of-year assembly outdoors, during which we watched some amazing performances from our VSSS Choir and Dancers (visit the Performing Arts Page of this newsletter to view a video). We also announced the handover from our 2021 School Captains, to our 2022 School Captains.

Below is a short introduction to each of our 2022 School Captains:

Jack- "I am honoured to be selected by my peers as a 2022 School Captain. Let me introduce myself: I have two younger brothers, who both attend USPS. My personal interests are playing football, cricket, and I go for the Magpies. In 2022, I am looking forward to helping lead school assemblies and being able to help around the school."

Brigitte- "I am honoured to be selected by my peers as a 2022 School Captain. Let me introduce myself: I started at our school in Prep, and have an older brother who has just completed Year 12. I love to play basketball, and I barrack for Hawthorn. In 2022, I am looking forward to helping younger students around the school, and learning to be build on my public speaking skills."

Tess- "I am honoured to be selected by my peers as a 2022 School Captain. Let me introduce myself: I have a younger sister who is also in Year 3-4 at USPS. I am a big cat lover, and I have two cats at home. I love our school because I have so many good friends here. I barrack for the Geelong Cats and I love playing netball for my local club in Ferntree Gully. In 2022, I am looking forward to helping out around the school and learning how to run and lead an assembly."

Will- "I am honoured to be selected by my peers as a 2022 School Captain. Let me introduce myself: I have two younger brothers who will both be at our school next year. I love sport and I support the Essendon Bombers. I am really excited to be a leader and use my teamwork skills to help others. In 2022, I am looking forward to speaking at assemblies and having younger students look to me for help and inspiration."

2021 School Production "Wizard of Oz"

As detailed in the Performing Arts page of this newsletter, in 2021 our Year Six students had the opportunity to apply flexible thinking to the much anticipated school production. As we were unable to hold a school-wide production, our Year Six students pivoted their thinking and jumped in front of the camera.

We highly recommend taking the time to view their amazing performance by visiting the video link under the "Performing Arts" section of the newsletter.

CovidSafe Schools Update

With recent events in the Dandenong Ranges, and the impact upon local schools, it is timely that we again bring the below information to your attention.

On Thursday 25th November 2021, our school took part in a voluntary DET CovidSafe audit. The purpose of this session was to identify what we are doing well, and to also be aware of future adjustments which may need to be considered to promote the welfare of our school community.

The overwhelming feedback from the auditor was that our school has clearly worked hard to maintain consistency and predictability with our daily routines and structures; with a clear focus upon trying to maintain community connections within the current environment.

Moving forward, the following information should be understood by all families of children enrolled in DET schools:

Collecting vaccine information from visitors and volunteers working at schools

Under the updated policy, schools are no longer obligated to collect and hold copies of vaccination certificates, provided they record details of the sighted vaccination information using a register that records:

the name of the worker or individual accessing the site
their vaccination status
the name of the staff member who sighted the evidence
the date the evidence was sighted
the nature of that evidence (for example, COVID-19 vaccine digital certificate, immunisation history statement, or medical exception letter or certificate).

Vaccination requirements for parents, carers and other visitors not performing work

Parents, carers and other adults who enter school buildings must have had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and must have had two doses of COVID-19 vaccine by Monday 29 November 2021 or a valid medical exception. The following limited exceptions apply:

when attending to administer medical treatment to their own child when the treatment cannot be administered by the school
when attending to collect their child who is unwell and cannot leave the school building unaccompanied by their parent/carer
when attending for a short time that does not involve any sustained contact with staff or students, for example, to collect a completed art project or similar.

This vaccination requirement applies to all school activities inside school buildings, including but not limited to, kindergarten transition activities, tours, graduations, fetes and school theatre and music production.

Any adults attending these events, regardless of whether they are held indoors or outdoors, must be vaccinated, in line with community requirements.

Face Masks

Face masks will now only be required by staff, visitors, and Grades 3 to 6 students in an indoor space within a primary school (or schools which have primary students such as P-12 school).

The wearing of masks remains recommended for Prep to Grade 2 students, and in circumstances where physical distancing cannot be maintained.

Management of Covid Exposures and Contacts

The following changes are effective from 11.59pm on Thursday 18th November, and apply both to new cases, and new and existing close contacts.

The most important change, is that non-household contacts will now only be required to quarantine until they complete a standard PCR test and receive a negative result. The Department of Health will no longer send a text to confirm the quarantine requirements of contacts.

This applies to all students and staff who are identified as a school-based contact (formerly primary close contacts or PCCs) following notification of a confirmed case at your school.

All contacts (staff and students) can return to school after they have provided evidence of a negative standard PCR to their school.

All contacts should follow the strong recommendation that they complete five days of rapid antigen testing each morning before attending school.

Contacts will receive a pack of 5 tests from the PCR testing location and should take the test each day before school until they run out. Schools will no longer distribute rapid antigen testing kits. Instead, these will be available for collection from standard PCR testing centers at the time a student or staff member attends for the standard PCR test.

Any student or staff who return a positive rapid antigen test result must notify the school and immediately get a standard PCR test.

In exceptional circumstances the Department of Health may determine that contacts in significant school outbreaks are still required to quarantine for 7 days. In this scenario, students will be notified directly of any additional quarantine arrangements.

Other changes are:

Confirmed cases will now complete 10 days of isolation instead of 14.
Vaccinated household close contacts will complete 7 days rather than 14 days of quarantine. This includes unvaccinated children under 12 years, if all members of their household over 12 years are vaccinated.
Other unvaccinated household contacts will be required to complete 14 days of quarantine.

Yarra Valley Psychology is partnering with our school!

We are pleased to share with you that our school has secured a partnership with Yarra Valley Psychology (YVP) Services (https://yvp.com.au/), with the aim of providing in-school counselling services to students.

Throughout schools across Victoria, student counselling is a much needed (and under resourced) service. Many of our families are currently experiencing first-hand the difficulties associated with trying to gain access to support services for their children. Therefore, we must be grateful that we have been presented with the opportunity to enter a partnership with YVP, as the resources do not exist for this partnership to occur across schools within our region.

Please be aware of the information below:

Is there a cost involved to access the service, and does my child require a Mental Health Plan?

There is no cost involved for the family.

Your child does not require a Mental Health Plan to access the service. This is due to the fact that the counselling sessions will be delivered by a Masters of Counselling practitioner, who is under the direct supervision of Yarra Valley Psychology (YVP) Services.

There is also no limit on the number of sessions a child may access. Access to sessions, and duration (in weeks) will be determined between YVP, the school, and the parent/carer.

When do sessions commence, and how will they be structured?

Sessions will commence from the beginning of Term Two, with student-needs being prioritized in partnership with the school and YVP. Prior to any child commencing, a confidential discussion will take place between the YVP counsellor and the parent/carer.

Our school has been allocated a male counsellor (name TBC) who will conduct sessions each Wednesday for the entire duration of Term Two and Term Three.

The counsellor will have the time allocation to see up to five students per day, with each session being allocated 50 minutes. At this stage sessions will be occurring each Wednesday.

Will each child who is referred be able to access the service?

Unfortunately, this is not achievable within the current mental health environment. Referrals will be prioritized on a needs basis from within our own school cohort.

If I wish for my child to access the service, what do I need to do?

Please complete the referral form below and return it via the instructions on the form.

Keeping Aware of Information Relating to School

As a school we work hard to keep our families informed of happenings across the school. We acknowledge that receiving information in a timely and consistent manner can help to alleviate the pressures which come from managing a busy family calendar.

Communicating via Compass

All of our school notifications are sent via the Newsfeed within the Compass app. There is also a calendar of events within the app, which sends push notifications to users to remind them of school events.

In 2021, we will continue to utilise Compass for families to consent and pay in order for their children to take part in school events.

In order to filter notifications which are received, you will notice that we send out notifications which are year level specific. This means that sometimes not all notifications are sent to all year levels.

Administration Reminder

Please be reminded that if you need to collect your child/ren early, please contact the office when you are five to ten minutes away so we can have them at the office for collection.

Communicating with the School Administration Team

We look forward to partnering with you in 2021, and welcome your input:

Damien Kitch (Principal) damien.kitch@education.vic.gov.au

Paula Lee (Business Manager) upwey.south.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Janette Clarke (Office Manager) upwey.south.ps@education.vic.gov.au

Community News

Community Announcements

Groove Foundation Instrumental Lessons

School Crossing Supervisors