A Message from Vassie 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land, the Wurundjeri, Woi Wurrung and Boonwurrung Peoples of the Kulin Nation and pay our respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging. Aboriginal people have a deep and continuous connection to the place now called Victoria. Aboriginal people have lived in the Maribyrnong River valley for over 40,000 years.

TERM TWO CELEBRATION 

We congratulate students, teachers and parents on the successful partnership, in supporting student learning and wellbeing throughout term two. We thank the teachers and wider staff for their continued dedication, commitment and passion to the wonderful students at Wembley Primary School.  

Throughout the term, and indeed during the past fortnight we've seen many exciting incursions, excursions, choir performances, sporting achievements, engaging learning experiences, Student Support Group Meetings (SSG's), reports being drafted, Student Led Conference (SLC) preparation, and astounding demonstration of our Wembley Values of Respect, Inclusion, Resilience and Empathy, at Wembley Primary School. 

I ask that you read all newsletter tabs to read and celebrate all things Wembley PS! 

A new rolling newsletter tab has been developed regarding Cybersafety - informing and empowering our community regarding Cybersafety. I encourage all parents to read this information, in the interest of keeping all students safe online, moving into the holidays, acknowledging that screen time can increase. 

Teachers have been working hard assessing student learning growth and writing Semester One Reports, which are released on Monday 19 June. We look forward to reflecting upon and celebrating student learning with teachers, parents, students, during the Student Led Conference (SLC) - Wednesday 21 June. A reminder that students are invited to attend in the spirit of student voice and agency. Please visit the learning and teaching tab of the newsletter for more information on accessing Reports, and SLC bookings. Please note, Wednesday 21 June is pupil free day, and Their Care will be operating for the day from 7:00am-6:00pm if parents require care for their child/ren. 

WEMBLEY'S ANIMAL THEMED DRESS UP DAY

A reminder about the animal themed fundraiser on the final day of term, raising funds for the Exford PS community for Therapy Dogs. 

Thank you to Adriana Jankulovski, Anna Xasteroulis and the Junior School Council for coordinating this fun and engaging event, for a very good cause.  

END OF TERM TWO

Term two concludes on Friday 23 June at 2:30, with an assembly at 2:10. 

If parents require care, please contact TheirCare to book your child/ren in for the holiday program events. Please visit the TheirCare Newsletter tab for more information.  

We wish all community members a safe, cosy and active winter holiday break, enjoying sleep ins, pyjama days, baking, play dates, sports, comfort food, and discovering new books with friends and family. 

TERM THREE

School resumes for Term Three on Monday 10 July at 8:55am. In term three, we have a number of camps, the school musical, continued values focus on inclusion, respect, empathy and inclusion, cybersafety provision, and significant milestones in the building project to look forward to. 

Watch this space for more information to come!

ROAD SAFETY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to once again acknowledge the community support provided to families involved in a road accident last week. 

I spoke with all families involved and am very pleased to inform our community that both the parents and children are okay, and were home safely with their families by that afternoon. The family members asked me to pass on their gratitude, for the support provided by a number of parents and community members. 

We would like to acknowledge the community members that provided support, informed us at school, and asked how they could help. We are very proud, and once again reminded of the strong community and supportive culture that exists at Wembley Primary School.

I ask for all community members understanding, in respecting the privacy of the families involved. 

Please don't hesitate to seek support from medical professionals, if this information is challenging for you. 

I'd also like to inform our community members that I have raised concerns with the Hon Melissa Horne MP, Alison Wilson (road safety officer-Maribyrnong Council), and Vicroads regarding the ongoing concerns we've had around this intersection. 

Minister Horne responded immediately and arranged a meeting together with herself, Dom Torpy from her office,  and Department of Transport associate, Marcel Vidales, on Friday 9 June, which enabled us to discuss concerns and share recommendations regarding road safety improvements, such as for the pedestrian crossing green light to not operate concurrent to the green turning arrows, road crossing supervisors to operate for longer periods of time, blindspot re: phone booth, and civil services box to be assessed and relocated, etc. 

Minister Horne has been a great advocate for safety, and the Wembley PS community, as she was instrumental in installing the barriers a couple of years back on the corner of Wembley Avenue and Francis Street, and she supported us in securing the Capital Works Building Funding.  Minister Horne and Marcel Vidales will get back to me once escalating this further with the Department of Transport. 

I also have a meeting with Alison Wilson, Maribyrnong Council, road safety officer, and the Department of Transport and Planning (Vicroads) next week. I will update our community accordingly. 

in the interim, please speak with your child/ren about the importance of road safety, and revisit the conversation in ensuring that they: Stop, look, listen, and think, whilst travelling to and from school, and in walking bikes/scooters across the road, and on neighbouring footpaths.

FRENCH LANGUAGE AT WEMBLEY PS - STAFFING UPDATE

I write to inform our community that we have had to make the difficult decision to move away from teaching French Language at Wembley Primary School. 

Teacher shortages are wide-spread, and whilst many schools across the state still have teaching vacancies and are having to merge classes, we are pleased and proud to report that we have all teaching positions at Wembley PS filled with high quality educators. 

French language recruitment however has continued to be a challenge at Wembley Primary School. In 2021, following four recruitment rounds we were unsuccessful in recruiting a french teacher, and so made the decision to move to Environmental Science/Sustainability for the year, as it was and continues to be a keen interest for students, staff and parents in our community. We then recruited a teacher for 2022, and into 2023. 

Our 2023 french teaching workforce, comprising Sophie Robson, Chris Kane and Sara Fasano, has been impacted following some changes to the staffing arrangements. 

-Sophie Robson is currently working part time. 

-Chris Kane who taught french, has stepped into 5/6A as classroom teacher, together with Laura Gardiner, following Michael Fitzclarence's sea change and subsequent appointment to Mirripoa Primary School. 

-Sara Fasano who was appointed as a 0.2 french teacher this year, has moved on to teach at her base school, as working between two schools understandably has proven to be too great a challenge. We thank Sara sincerely for her contribution to language instruction at Wembley PS. 

In the interest of the value and importance of offering a language to students we have endeavoured to fill Chris' and Sara's vacancies, with casual relief teacher's (CRT's), whilst advertising two french language teaching positions. Unfortunately this recruitment round was unsuccessful. 

I have shared the staffing circumstances with the staff and parents on School Council whilst progressing through the attempts to fill the vacancy with high quality educators, which have been to no avail. 

From Term Three, in place of French Language all students will have a weekly lesson of Environmental Science/Sustainability, taught by Bec Grieve (0.8) and Laura Keays (0.6). We have a strong Environmental Science Essential Learning Program which will ensure rigorous, engaging learning and instruction, delivered by high quality educators. 

Bec has worked at Wembley Primary School in every year level, has great relationships with students, staff members and parents, and is known to the students. Bec will work on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. 

Laura is currently teaching a range of different specialist subjects, as well as taking facilitator (team leader) and graduate teacher time release. Laura is known to the students having been appointed this year, and is known for her trademark smile! Laura will continue to work on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. 

Sophie will continue to teach at Wembley PS, within a range of specialist areas. This will be confirmed once timetables have been finalised. 

I have informed our staff of this difficult decision, and have also met with our Year 6 French Captains, Aaira and Charlie, to inform them of this outcome. Our captains have been offered the role of cultural awareness captains, to honour their leadership role, and continue the importance of the cultural aspect of language. 

Moving forward, it is our absolute aim to resume language instruction at Wembley Primary School. I have been in contact with the Department of Education Languages unit for information and guidance around this process. 

The history of language at Wembley PS has seen French, Greek and Italian instruction. Over a decade ago, we surveyed our staff, students and parents asking for their preference of language instruction. The top language preference was Spanish, and then French, followed by a number of other languages. We attempted to recruit to Spanish and it was unsuccessful, and we then recruited to French Language and it was a strong program for almost a decade taught by Olivia LaTrache for 7 years, Kathleen Cashin for 1 year, and Sophie, Chris and Sara in 2023. 

Our leadership team has decided to draft a survey which will be shared with all community members seeking input into the future of language instruction at Wembley. We are also considering the language taught in the number of secondary schools that our students attend, in the interest of a smooth transition from primary to secondary instruction. 

From term three, following the outcome of the community survey, and the subsequent decision, we will begin rigorous recruitment of a language teacher to resume language instruction from the beginning of the 2024 school year. 

I will update our community accordingly. 

I would like to thank the following staff members; Renee Johnson (specialist sector leader) for supporting the specialist team during this period of change; Joel Magnabosco (Assistant Principal) for his continued efforts in managing the oversight of all absences and teacher replacements; Sophie, Chris and Sara for their commitment to french language teaching this year; the specialist teaching team for their support and flexibility in responding to these changes in the specialist team. 

2024 PREP ENROLMENTS

We are currently conducting tours for 2024 prep families. This is a reminder to current families to enrol children of school start age at your earliest convenience. Enrolment forms can be found on the school website and/or collected from the office. Letters of enrolment offers will be sent to families in July. 

COLD AND FLU SEASON

As we move into prime cold and flu season, we wish to remind families of the importance of prioritising your health and wellbeing.

We ask parents to keep children home from school if they are unwell, and return to school when they are feeling healthy and well. 

We thank all staff for supporting the health and wellbeing of all students, with particular acknowledgement of Kathy in the first aid room for her care, consideration and communication with students, teachers and parents.

Teachers are continuing to ensure that students are sanitising regularly, air purifiers are on in each room set to the highest setting, and our cleaners are continuing to clean all spaces in the school thoroughly, and wipe down high touch surfaces.

We thank you in anticipation of your understanding, cooperation and support, in protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of all community members. 

YEAR 4 CHOIR

We would like to acknowledge and congratulate Alison Briskey, and the amazing students in the Year 4 choir for rehearsing and performing at assembly on Friday 2 June, and at the Winter Festival on Sunday 4 June. Students, staff members, parents, siblings, grandparents and the wider community alike, were impressed and touched by the majestic singing voices, and the remarkable harmony! 

NEWSLETTER FORMAT CONSOLIDATION

Please note that we have merged certain newsletter tabs to consolidate and synthesise the information being shared with you. 

For e.g. all community notices will now be in one newsletter tab (including sport, secondary school, holiday programs). Uniform information can be found in office news. 

CAPITAL WORKS BUILDING PROJECT UPDATE  

We are making progress in our Capital Works Building Project. Please visit the Capital Works project tab for an update of the works to occur over the next month. 

WEMBLEY PS ON SOCIAL MEDIA 

We invite all community members to join in on the celebration of learning as we share key events, achievements and acknowledgements on our Wembley PS social media pages. 

If you haven't already, we invite you to follow along. 

A reminder that our school website, Sentral notifications and emails will continue to be our formal avenues of communication, whilst our newsletter will serve as a link between all platforms.

We ask that you take some time to familiarise yourselves with the Wembley Communications Policy, and the Code of Conduct-staff/students and parents, regarding the safe and respectable use of our chosen social media platforms. 

Communications Policy

Code of Conduct-staff/students and parents

Each school year we ask for permission to use our students’ images on various platforms, ie: newsletter and media release. This permission form addresses social media. If you don't wish for your child/ren to be included in social and hadn't indicated this on the consent form, please contact the school office on 93147054 or wembley.ps.@education.vic.gov.au to update your preferences. 

We look forward to continuing to engage with our community through these platforms, which will offer regular opportunities for connection and celebration. 

Please find us on Instagram at: @wembleyps4788

And via our official Facebook Page: Wembley Primary School (link here)