PUPIL FREE DAYS 2023 (TheirCare will be running their day care programs at school on all student free days)
- Monday 8th May - Staff professional development
- Monday 10th July - Three way conferences
- Monday 6th November - Report writing day
- One further pupil free day to be advised in due course.
2023 TERM DATES
- Term 1: 27th January - 6th April (2:30pm finish)
- Term 2: 24th April - 23rd June (2:30pm finish)
- Term 3: 10th July - 15th September (2:30pm finish)
- Term 4: 2nd October - 20th December (1:30pm finish)
BUILDING WORKS AND REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE Today, two Mod 5s were craned over the fence on Lascelles Avenue and put in place to serve as the Grade 2 Classroom block moving forward. With all of the necessary work to come over the next two weeks with installation of heating and cooling, carpeting, decking, stairs and ramps there is still lots to do to ensure that the classrooms can be handed over late on Friday, April 21.
With that in mind, we are asking if there is anyone who might be able to spare an hour or two from 9am on Saturday, April 22 to assist us at school? We have a fair bit to do to transfer furniture stored for safekeeping over the holidays into those buildings in order to ensure that they are set to go for day 1 of Term 2. Please check Compass late in the second week of the holidays for confirmation of a mini working bee on that day. As they say, many hands make light work, and we would be very appreciative.
By the end of today, Wednesday, five of our Grade 3 and 4 classes will be operational in the main administration building which will be their temporary home until the Grade 3 and 4 classroom block is fully operational up at Jilinga. Over the school holidays, three of our existing portables will be relocated at the northern end of the school (Jilinga) and complemented by two new Mod-5 portables that will be ‘landed’ over the school holidays as well. It will take the best part of seven weeks to ready each of these classrooms for occupation by our Grade 3 and 4 classes on May 26.
The construction of our new administration wing is also set to commence over the school holidays. When we all return on Monday, April 24, the whole school landscape will have changed significantly! Exciting times!
A reminder that Gate 5 on the turning circle will be non-operational for the next 6 months, but we regain access to Gate 1 at the start of Term 2 (and the Foundation and Grade 1 playground!!) It is anticipated that the new parking arrangements in Nevin Parade will also be in place for the first day of term.
FINAL ASSEMBLY Students will be dismissed from a whole school assembly commencing at approx. 2.10pm on Thursday. Weather permitting, this will be held on the Tiger Turf.
DISTRICT ATHLETICS AND REGIONAL SWIMMING Congratulations to all students who took part in these events last week, with many recording personal best and advancing to the next ‘level’. Thanks again to Lucas Prell and his team for coordinating these events.
HAPPY EASTER My very best wishes to the whole school community for a safe, and peaceful Easter break. It will be a good opportunity for all of us to have time with family, and to recharge and rejuvenate. School resumes on Monday, April 24 at 9am, but there will NOT be the normal assembly on that day. We do intend to hold an Anzac ceremony at approximately 10.25am in the gymnasium which you are welcome to attend.
Kind regards,
Bill Kersing
Principal
Term 1 Reflection It is always interesting to look back at the term and think about all the things we have done. Things seem to have magnified a little in past week or two due to the packing and moving in preparation for the new portables arriving. While the bulk of the packing and moving has involved the Year 2s, Year 3s and Year 4s (4N and 4K in particular), it really is a whole school effort. We have had to make some last-minute changes to specialist and yard duty timetables and other staff have stepped up to help (or been extremely flexible) – which I have been extremely grateful for. No matter how organised we are, sometimes we underestimate how long things take to pack and clean, other times we overestimate – no different than moving house.
If you are out on the roads or travelling these holidays, please be safe. We look forward to seeing you in a few weeks.
Have a great holiday break.
Patrick
SWPBS Success Every day we see the positive influence SWPBS has on our students and school as a whole.
Last week, we were thrilled to hear that we have received a Silver Award for our implementation of SWPBS over the past twelve months. This is a huge whole school achievement. Along with a handful of other schools, we have been recognised through the Vic SWPBS initiative's annual school award process, which sets a standard for implementation in Victoria and identifies schools that exemplify the highest standards of systems, data, practice and outcomes. A panel of statewide Area SWPBS Coaches reviewed the applications to determine which schools will receive an award for their implementation of SWPBS in 2022.
Our certificate, signed by the Deputy Secretary, School Education Programs and Supports, and the NEMA Area Executive Director, will be presented at the upcoming NEMA Vic SWPBS Showcase Day on May 11, 2023, at Melbourne Polytechnic Preston.
Congratulations to the following schools for their remarkable achievement:
BRONZE
- Greensborough College
- Merriang Special Developmental School
- St Helena Secondary College
- Thomastown Primary School
- Wattle Glen Primary School
SILVER
- Croxton Special School
- Harvest Home Primary School
- Mill Park Primary School
- Thornbury Primary School
- Viewbank Primary School
- Whittlesea Primary School
GOLD
- Lalor Gardens Primary School
- Waratah Special Developmental School
Thank you for all your efforts this term.
Gill
STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE & AMBULANCE COVER ARRANGEMENTS Parents/carers are reminded that the Department does not provide personal accident insurance or ambulance cover for students. Parents/carers 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. Parents/carers can purchase insurance policies from commercial insurers.
VALUABLES & PROPERTY Personal property brought to school by students, staff or visitors is not insured and the Department of Education does not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage. The Department 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. This can include mobile phones, calculators, toys, and sporting equipment. Please note that neither the school nor the Department hold insurance for personal property brought to schools and will generally not pay for any loss or damage to such property. We request the support of parents/carers in ensuring students are discouraged from bringing any unnecessary or particularly valuables items to school.
FIRST AID AND MEDICAL CONSENT The Department no longer seeks parent consent to administer first aid or receive medical attention. This Department update has been made because schools have a duty of care to provide appropriate and reasonable first aid to students and to take action in emergency situations. Additionally, parents cannot delegate decision-making authority, including consent for medical treatment. Where a student requires medical attention, the medical professional administering treatment would either speak to the parent or provide treatment without consent.
UNIFORM SHOP RELOCATION The school uniform shop provider A Plus Schoolwear/My Uniform store has relocated to new premises. Please find attached information re location and updated operating hours. This change will take place on the Monday 17th April 2023.
If you order online your order will be delivered to the school. If there are any issues with sizes etc uniforms can be returned to the office for exchange.
LOST PROPERTY We would like to remind you to check lost property if your child has misplaced any items on our school premises. We have collected several items over the past few weeks, including uniform, water bottles, toys and lunch boxes.
Lost Property is located between the second-hand uniform shop and music room. We recommend labelling all your children’s personal items. Thank you for your cooperation.
SCHOOL TOURS We will be running school tours on a Tue, Wed, Thu at 9.30am for prospective families. Please call the office to make a booking. 2024 enrolments open on the 24th of April, 2023.
Kind regards,
Lucy Addati
Business Manager
Who Are We?
We are the Specialist and Support Team – (pictured) Lucas Prell (PE), Nat Carr (STEM), Renee Davey (Performing Arts), Jen Hall (Art), Angela Roccasalva (Japanese), Bec Andrew (Literacy and Numeracy Support and 2 classes of Art), Pete Walker (STEM) and Marina Gourzelas (Tutor Learning Initiative); and (not pictured) Andrea Cleeve (English as and Additional Language), Judy Course (Literacy Support), Meredith Kearney (Performing Arts), Emma Sargeant (Japanese and Tutor Learning initiative), Kori Stuckey (PE). Most of us work part time and it is hard to get us all together in the one place at the one time. For those counting, there are 13 of us!
Between us we have worked for a combined 200+ years! We have also worked at about 30 schools.
We have qualifications in: Bachelor of Education (x8), Bachelor of Teaching (x2), Graduate Diplomas - Education (x3), Masters of Education (x1), Bachelor of Arts (x2), Bachelor of Business (x1), Bachelor of Sport Coaching (x1), Bachelor of Applied Science (x1), Bachelor of Economics (x1), Graduate Diploma in Applied Corporate Governance (x1), Diploma of Sports Development (x1) and a Teaching English as a Foreign Language Certificate (x1). Within our qualifications we have a range of ‘majors’ that include Politics and Sociology, Accounting, Drama and English, Visual Arts, Music, PE and Human Movement!
Between us, we have 10 dogs, 3 cats, 13 chickens, 1 horse, 7 Japanese Quail and 4 King Quail. We have 24 children, and two of us have a set of twins!
Can you guess?
Who:
- Has a set of twins (there are two of us)?
- Played in a dodgeball team?
- Has climbed Mt Fuji in Japan?
- Has been to the Arctic Circle?
- Kayaked in Alaska with humpback whales?
- Rode a horse through Provence in France?
- Ran a sports coaching business?
- Appeared in the TV show - Neighbours?
- Was an aerobics instructor for 20 years?
- Learnt to snowboard in France?
- Can play the piano, trumpet, tenor horn and euphonium?
- Grew up in South Africa?
- Is fluent in Greek?
- Played State League Netball?
- Plays Baseball?
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ANZAC APPEAL BADGES 2023 ANZAC Appeal badges can be purchased from the school's general office, ranging from $2 to $10.
The Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge is now open and Viewbank Primary School is excited to be participating. The PRC application offers a range of exciting features including:
- access to a library catalogue (including book images and blurbs)
- a modern user-friendly interface
- rewarding students with badges as challenge milestones are achieved
- the option for students to mark books as a favourite, give them a star rating or complete a book review
The Challenge is open to all Victorian children from birth to Year 10 in recognition of the importance of reading for literacy development. It is not a competition; but a personal challenge for children to read a set number of books by 8 September 2023.
Children from Prep to Year 2 are encouraged to read or ‘experience’ 30 books with their parents and teachers. Children from Year 3 to Year 6 are challenged to read 15 books.
Books included in the Challenge book list can be found online. Books borrowed from the Library, read at home, read with parents and read in the classroom can all be counted in your Challenge total. Students must read the required number of books from the Challenge list to complete the Challenge.
All students who meet the Challenge will receive a completion card at Assembly and a certificate of achievement in late November.
There will be a reward for the first ‘whole class’ that meets the Challenge.
All VPS students have been registered to participate in the Challenge. Classroom teachers will issue username and password details to enable students to log into their account online.
To login into your student account, view the booklist and for more information about the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge, visit: https://www.vic.gov.au/premiers-reading-challenge
Lower Plenty Bakehouse will be providing the school with fundraising Lunch Orders every Thursday. These lunches have been implemented via our Parents and Friends Committee. All money raised will be used towards our major school upgrade.
Our Term 2 Fundraising Lunch Order Dates are:
- Thursday 27th April (Orders closing on 24th April, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 4th May (Orders closing on 1st May, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 11th May (Orders closing on 8th May, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 18th May (Orders closing on 15th May, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 25th May (Orders closing on 22nd May, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 1st June (Orders closing on 29th May, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 8th June (Orders closing on 5th June, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 15th June (Orders closing on 12th June, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 22nd June (Orders closing on 19th June, 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 2 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.
Entertainment Book 20% of the membership goes directly to support our fundraising at Viewbank Primary School. https://www.entertainment.com.au/current-promotion
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 $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
STRINGS - MR CAI
- Email: cai66@optusnet.com.au
- Phone: 0403 490 078
GUITAR/BASS GUITAR - Alec
- Email: alec.stalder@gmail.com
DRUMS/BEGINNER KEYBOARD - Michael
- Email: michaelfindlaymcnab@gmail.com
- Phone: 0451 394 540
PIANO/KEYBOARD – Tiaryn Griggs
- Email: tiaryngriggs@gmail.com
Our school has partnered with an independent provider called TheirCare to provide exceptional Outside School Hours Care services for our school community.
The program is available for all children at Viewbank Primary School from 6:30am until 9:00am in the morning and from 3:30pm until 6:15pm each school day.
During School Holidays & Pupil Free Days the service will operate from 6:30am until 6:15pm.
Families wishing to use this service can visit the TheirCare website: www.theircare.com.au
Families are eligible for a Government Rebate called the Child Care Subsidy which can reduce the cost per session by up to 85%.
More information can be obtained by contacting the school or ringing TheirCare Support Team on 1300 072 410.
TheirCare provides a stimulating and safe environment for all children. During sessions, children develop life-skills, friendships, confidence and creativity through play-based programs.
A PLUS SCHOOLWEAR
Shop Details:
- Unit 3/30 Heaths Court, Mill Park
- T: 9436 4005
- E: info@northernregionaluniforms.com.au
Opening Hours:
- Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm
- Friday 9am to 3pm
- Saturday 9am to 12pm
Online Ordering Please Visit: www.aplusschoolwear.com.au