PUPIL FREE DAY
- Tuesday 15th March 2022
FUNDRAISING BAKERY LUNCH ORDER DATES
- Thursday 10th March (Orders closing on 7th March, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 24th March (Orders closing on 21st March, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 7th April (Orders closing on 4th April, 3:00pm)
2022 TERM DATES
- Term 1: 28th January (Students start 31 January) - 8th April (2:30pm finish)
- Term 2: 26th April - 24th June (2:30pm finish)
- Term 3: 11th July - 16th September (2:30pm finish)
- Term 4: 3rd October - 20th December (1:30pm finish)
2022 SCHOOL CAMP DATES
- Year 3: Arrabri Lodge Camp - Monday 8th August to Wednesday 10th August
- Year 4: Anglesea Recreation Camp - Wednesday 18th May to Friday 20th May
- Year 5: Lady Northcote Recreation Camp - Tuesday 4th October to Friday 7th October
- Year 6: Canberra Camp - Monday 6th June to Friday 10th June
SCHOOL COUNCIL NOMINATIONS By 4pm on Monday, February 21, I had received the following nominations for the vacant School Council positions in the following categories:-
SCHOOL EMPLOYEE CATEGORY (one vacancy)
- Patrick Walsh
PARENT CATEGORY (four vacancies)
- Kate Doran
- William Tong
- Carol Seneca
- Michelle Pan
Accordingly, I declare that these nominations have been successful and the nominees are duly elected to fill the two year vacancies on School Council.
As the number of nominations in both categories equals the number of vacancies, I declare all nominees to be elected to our School Council for 2022.
COVID UPDATES Late last week the Victorian Government announced a 6-week extension of the COVIDSafe measures for schools.
The use of rapid antigen tests (RAT) as a screening tool, getting vaccinated, providing adequate ventilation and adhering to vital COVIDSafe steps such as hand hygiene, mask wearing and physical distancing have played an important part in reducing the impact of COVID-19 on our school community.
Hand hygiene, mask wearing, and social distancing will continue wherever possible in Term 1.
Together, these measures will give us the best chance to keep children healthy and reduce the risk of them catching and spreading COVID-19. On behalf of the school, I would like to thank you for your continued support in implementing these important COVIDSafe measures.
Free rapid antigen tests The use of rapid antigen tests (RATs) as a screening tool will continue, over the remainder of this term. RATs have proved an important COVIDSafe tool to help reduce the number of COVID-19 cases and ensure our school is as safe as possible. Their use will remain voluntary for staff and students but is strongly encouraged.
The Department will continue to supply the tests to our school. These can either be collected, or sent home with students, once they are received by the school. We will advise of these arrangements when our next supply arrives.
Twice-a-week testing is strongly recommended for both students and staff.
Masks Mask rules will remain the same, with students in Grade 3 and above required to wear masks – although they will not be required outdoors. A friendly reminder that students do need to supply their own face masks each day, and it would be greatly appreciated if you could provide these.
We are supplied with some masks from the Department of Education and have some supplies of children sized masks that we have purchased for those times that masks have been forgotten, but you would understand that these supplies diminish fairly quickly.
DISTRICT SWIMMING Good luck to our 44 students who will compete at the District Swimming Carnival at WaterMarc Aquatic Centre Greensborough next Monday, February 28. We know you will do yourselves and our school proud.
SCHOOL PHOTOS A reminder that next Tuesday, March 1st is school photo day.
Kind regards,
Bill Kersing
PRINCIPAL
All children deserve a healthy smile and the Smile Squad are coming to VIEWBANK PRIMARY SCHOOL (Banyule) to help make sure this happens.
Smile Squad is the exciting new State Government program that will provide free, high quality dental care to all Victorian public primary and secondary school students.
Smile Squad is set to improve the oral health of more than 650,000 children, saving families both time and money, and all without having to leave the school grounds.
Smile Squad dental vans will provide free examinations and treatment including teeth cleaning, fluoride applications, fillings and any other non-cosmetic treatments to make sure our young people have healthy teeth.
Smile Squad is staffed by experienced oral health therapists, dental therapists, dental assistants and dentists. They all have extensive experience treating children and a passion for improving their oral health – for life.
Learn more about the Smile Squad by visiting www.smilesquad.vic.gov.au or contact the team at smilesquad@dhsv.org.au.
Next week, all students will bring home a free Dental Care showbag as well as a big white envelope containing the permission form you will need to complete if you wish for your child to have a free dental examination when the Smile Squad visits Viewbank Primary. Please complete the Permission Form and return it to the school office or your child’s teacher by Friday 31st March.
Smile Squad will be at Viewbank PS on the following dates:
The Smile Squad permission form will also be available on Compass if required.
Parking over driveways We have recently had complaints of people parking across driveways or partially blocking the driveways of local residents, before and after school. Please be respectful of our school neighbours when you are parking along the street and ensure there is space for your car to fit without encroaching onto private driveways. There are many nearby streets where parking is easily available, allowing you to enjoy a short walk and chat with your child.
Thank you for practising respect, kindness, responsibility and resilience.
Enjoy your week.
Gill
Working With Children Check As we get closer to being able to return to having parent/family volunteers playing a more active role at school, now is a really important time to ensure that you have a current ‘Working With Children Check’ (WWCC). Many volunteers have not looked at their WWCC card for approximately 2 years and may have discarded any reminders sent by email or in the post.
Working With Children Checks are required by law for anyone involved in child related work, and this is reflected and embedded in our Volunteers Policy, available on our website http://www.viewbankps.vic.edu.au/forms-policies
If you do not have a volunteer or employee WWCC already (or an appropriate exemption due to your work e.g. a registered teacher, police officer etc), please go to https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/ and apply. Volunteer WWCC are free. Pre 2020, the process used to take approximately 5-6 weeks.
For renewals, you can renew your card online from six months before its expiry date until three months after it has expired. https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/individuals/current-cardholders/renew-my-card. Renewals can take between 3-12 weeks. Volunteer WWCC renewals are free.
Volunteers will also have to abide by Department of Health and Department of Education and Training vaccination requirements at that time.
Have a great weekend.
Patrick
Years 3-6 Athletics Day Please check Compass ‘Event Consent/Payment Required’ on your homepage for any outstanding actions required.
Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.
If you have a valid means-tested concession card, such as a Veterans Affairs Gold Card, Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible. There is also a special consideration category for asylum seeker and refugee families.
Payment amounts this year are $125 for eligible primary school students. Payments are made direct to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions and sporting activities for the benefit of your child.
It is important that funding made available in 2022 supports students to participate in school trips, camps and sporting activities this year rather than being held for future years. This funding can also be used in conjunction with any funding accrued from previous years. Please note these activities will only take place if they meet COVIDSafe requirements.
If you applied for CSEF through our school last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year, unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.
If you would like to apply for the first time, please complete the attached application form and return to the office with a copy of your card.
You can also find out more about the program and eligibility, on the Department of Education and Training’s Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund web page.
Check with the school office if you are unsure, and please return completed forms to the school office as soon as possible.
Kind regards,
Lucy Addati
Business Manager
Lower Plenty Bakehouse will be providing the school with fundraising Lunch Orders every second Thursday during Term 1. These lunches have been implemented via our Parents and Friends Committee. All money raised will be used towards our major school upgrade.
Our Term 1 Fundraising Lunch Order Dates are:
- Thursday 10th March (Orders closing on 7th March, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 24th March (Orders closing on 21st March, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 7th April (Orders closing on 4th April, 3:00pm)
Orders need to be placed in advance via Compass Canteen. Ordering will close the Monday before the lunch date at 3pm. All of Term 1 lunch dates are now open for orders, and can be placed in advance for the whole term if you choose to do so.
Please see attached a Parent User Guide on how to order via Compass Canteen. Please note a 35 cents order fee will be charged at check out.
Parent assistance is required on Lunch Days from 10:30am to 12:30pm to assist with the packing of our orders. If you are available to assist in anyway can you please email the school at viewbank.ps@education.vic.gov.au so your name can be added to our roster.
Thank you for your support.
ICY POLE FRIDAY Students are able to purchase icy poles over the counter at lunchtime every Friday. All icy poles cost $1.00 each.
Lunches must be ordered online using the CLASSROOM CUISINE website.
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WEEKLY SECOND HAND UNIFORM SALE - Every Friday 8:45am to 9:15am, next to the music room. Jumpers with the school logo, long and short sleeve school polo tops and school dresses will be $5.00 and all other items $2.00. We are currently asking for donations of any unwanted reusable school uniform items to sell at our stall.
Instrumental Music Enrolments Can all students who would like to join our school instrumental music programs please inform the relevant teacher below of your expression of interest.
SINGING WITH GABRIELLA - Gabriella
- Email: favrettogab@gmail.com
- Phone: 0413 676 733
SINGING WITH JADE - Jade
- Email: jadefaving@gmail.com
- Phone: 0413 834 933
STRINGS - MR CAI
- Email: cai66@optusnet.com.au
- Phone: 0403 490 078
GUITAR/BASS GUITAR - Alec
- Email: alec.stalder@gmail.com
- Phone: 0422 690 842
PIANO/KEYBOARD - Ella
- Email: ellac.blackburn@gmail.com
- Phone: 0410 938 840
DRUMS - James
- Email: orangejimmy@gmail.com
- Phone: 0405 845 628
PHONE NUMBER: 0448 075 422
EMAIL: viewbank@oshclub.com.au
A PLUS SCHOOLWEAR Our uniform supplier is A Plus Schoolwear which is located at 41-43 Northern Road Heidelberg West. Open hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday’s from 9am to 4.30pm (closed on weekend and public holidays).
You can also purchase your uniform online at www.aplusschoolwear.com.au