From the School Leadership Team,

From Mr. Chant,

Principal

Today our Prep students commenced their school year. It was a wonderful day for families and our school as we celebrate this important event and welcome our new students and families to CJC.

Many thanks to our teachers, staff and the excited new students who made the whole day run so smoothly and successfully.

The overall commencement of the 2021 school year has been a resounding success. All my thanks to the students who are really connected to their new classes, building positive relationships with staff and making sure that they are all following the appropriate guidelines and directions during this return to school phase.

Our online Parent Information webinars were very well attended on Wednesday evening. Families all have access to the slide content and a recorded opportunity to re-watch your favourite teachers in action, sharing the important details for the school year ahead. Thanks again to all those who logged in and watched the presentations and to the staff who worked hard to set up and present the 2021 Parent Information evenings.

FAQ’s from the Parent Information sessions 

• Can staff be contacted directly?

Yes, by using the Compass platform. Teachers will respond to your email within a 48 hour response window, inside working hours. Please do not expect teachers to reply to Compass communication outside of business hours or on the weekends.

• What are the dates for school camps this year?

Year 5&6                     Canberra                             October 18th (4 nights)

Year 3&4                     Forest Edge                         September 1st – 3rd (2 nights)

• Can we bring treats to school to celebrate birthdays?

Items may be shared for birthdays that are small, pre-packaged and individually wrapped (preferably not homemade, having been packaged and handled at home). Freddo Frogs, mini packets of crisps or popcorn and lollipops work well.

Some families are clear that they do not want their child to have access to these types of celebratory foods at school, so parents should contact the teacher to look at an appropriate / safe alternative.

• What is the approach to homework?

In some form, homework is done at each year level from Prep – Year 6. Homework expectations are varied across the school according to DET guidelines. These have been included in the Parent Information slide presentations and can be clarified at the up-coming parent / teacher meetings

Homework is a way of reviewing and practising the learning that has already been taught in the class. Homework shouldn’t be “new” learning.

• Can I enter the school grounds in the morning?

No. Now that all of our students are settled into their school routine, we ask all parents to drop off at the gate.

The specialist programs at the school have commenced and we ask all students to ensure they are ready for these important learning sessions, i.e. library bags, art smocks, runners.

Many students travel to school via public transport. Travel cards can be arranged for your children through local stations or online and then need to be authorised by the school prior to the card being issued.

Mobile phones at school are locked securely in student lockers or in teacher storage for the duration of the entire school day. The SMART/ talk watches that some children have must be in the ‘off’ setting or in aeroplane mode. Receiving or sending communications during class time or at breaks in the learning day interrupts learning. Communication into the school must be via the office or directly with our staff during normal school hours.

The privacy and security of personal information is directed by the DET Privacy policy. All data, personal details and related materials are managed securely, stored securely and accessed via standard protocols and operational requirements.  See this link to our website. Privacy Policy DET.

CJC Swimming Carnival

Hosted at GESAC on Tuesday the 23rd of Feb, grade 3-6 students will have the opportunity to compete in swimming events such as freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. 

All competitors will earn house points to the newly named houses; Banksia (blue house), Acacia (yellow house), Waratah (red house) and Garak (green house). Students are encouraged to wear their house colours and cheer on their team and classmates!

Please note that due to COVID-19 restrictions, GESAC has advised the school that change rooms are limited (so please wear your bathers under your clothes at the start of the day).

Furthermore, due to capacity restrictions at GESAC, no parents or spectators are allowed to attend.  (Please label every item of clothing.)

Grade 3/4 Swimming Lessons

During week 5 and week 6, all grade 3/4 students will participate in swimming lessons held at GESAC. Students will be placed into small groups based on swimming ability and experience, all instructed by the team at GESAC. (Please label every item of clothing.)

Grade 5/6 Summer Lightning Premiership

On Friday 12th of March, the grade 5/6 team will participate in the Summer Lightning Premiership. This involves students participating in a summer sport of their choosing (basketball, cricket, volleyball and softball) and competing against other schools in the Caulfield District. Teams will all play in a round robin tournament of their sport.

Parents and guardians are reminded that:

• parents or guardians of students, who do not have student accident insurance, are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including the cost of ambulance attendance or transport as well as any other transport costs; and
• parents or guardians can purchase insurance policies from commercial insurers.

In addition, the Victorian Department of Education does not hold insurance for personal property brought to schools and it has no capacity to pay for any loss or damage to such property. Please ensure items of value are kept at home or stored securely while they are on site.

The first working bee for 2021 is taking place on Sunday 21 February and is open to all CJC families. Come along for an hour to help us tidy our school grounds. There will be further working bees throughout the year for specific year levels. The dates are available in the school calendar on Compass, and in the student diary. We look forward to seeing you!

From Mrs. Walker.

Assistant Principal

‘Meet and Greet’ Parent-teacher conferences

Next week, on Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th February, we will be hosting ‘Meet and Greet’ Parent-teacher conferences. The purpose of these short, 10 minute interviews is for parents to tell their new teacher/s all about their child. These important conversations help to set up a successful start to the school year.

You should have received a ‘You Tell Us’ form to use as a guide for the kinds of information that is useful to discuss with your child’s teacher/s, including your child’s hobbies and interests, language background and any learning challenges.

In trying to accommodate all families, and abide by COVID restrictions, parents can opt for a Zoom interview or on-site interview.