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
- Friday 26th May - Staff professional practice day
- Monday 10th July - Three way conferences
- Monday 6th November - Report writing day
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)
FOUNDATION 2024 INFORMATION EVENING The 2024 Foundation Information evening is set down for 6.30pm in the school gymnasium this evening.
CONGRATULATIONS TO A PAST STUDENT We were pleased to hear during the week of ex Viewbank PS student Georgia Groidis’ selection in a national soccer team. She has been selected in Australia’s squad for the Group B 2024 AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup Round 1 Qualifiers held in Mongolia. Georgia always showed outstanding sporting skills at Viewbank and this is due recognition of her talents. I will endeavour to research the outcome for Georgia and the Australian team and keep you posted. On behalf of the school community, well done Georgia.
ATTITUDES TO SCHOOL SURVEY Each year, the Department of Education implements an Attitudes To School Survey (AtoSS)– for primary schools, we survey students from Grades 4 to 6. We value student voice as a means to improving student engagement, wellbeing and quality instruction and so we will be conducting the survey to find out what your child thinks of our school.
The AtoSS is an annual student survey offered by the Department of Education to assist schools to gain an understanding of students' perceptions and experience of school. Students will be asked about their thoughts and feelings in relation to their school, their learning, peer relationships, resilience, bullying, health and wellbeing, physical activity, and life in general.
This year, the AtoSS will be conducted at our school during the month of May
While we do not anticipate many risks of participation, some students may find some of the survey questions personal and sensitive in nature. Should you agree for your child to participate, they are still free to skip questions or to withdraw at any stage if the survey makes them upset or uncomfortable. Our Student Voice and Agency leader, Bonnie Boness, will be implementing the survey across all classes in Grades 4 to 6 and therefore will be present during the survey to support students. Please note:
- Student participation in the survey is voluntary and students may withdraw at any time.
- The survey will take around 20-45 minutes to complete.
Your child will be provided with a unique login to complete the survey from their teacher. The student login is an assigned identifier that may be used to link data for statistical and research purposes only. Personally identifiable data will not be recorded in the survey response file to ensure the confidentiality of your child’s responses is protected at all times.
The survey results will be reported back to the school in aggregate form throughout the survey period. All survey data that is made available in reports are for groups of students only so that no individual student can be identified.
All Grade 4 to 6 families will receive further information on the survey this week, and there is the option to withdraw your child from the survey if that is your wish.
SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING A reminder that School Council is scheduled to meet next Tuesday evening from 7pm in the staffroom.
ENROLMENT PROCESS FOR 2024 A new statewide timeline for enrolling in Foundation (Prep) for the 2024 school year has been released.
The timeline advises families when and how to enrol their child into Foundation (Prep) at a Victorian government school. The timeline seeks to make the enrolment process simpler, clearer and fairer for families.
The timeline will apply for children starting Foundation (Prep) in 2024. All government primary schools, including P-9 and P-12 schools, will follow the new timeline.
To start primary school in 2024, your child will need to turn 5 years old by 30 April 2024. Schooling is compulsory for children who have turned 6 years old.
If your child is starting Foundation (Prep) in 2024, you will be able to apply to enrol your child in a Victorian government primary school from the start of Term 2, 2023 (Monday 24 April 2023).
- Download the ‘Foundation (Prep) Enrolment Information Pack forParents/Carers.'
- Use Find my School to locate your designated neighbourhood school (referred to as your local school) and other nearby government schools.
- Contact a government primary school to book a school tour or to learn more about the school and the enrolment application process. The school will provide you with the form to complete.
- Submit an enrolment application for Foundation (Prep) by Friday 28 July 2023.
- You will be notified of the outcome of your application by Friday 11 August 2023. If you receive an enrolment offer, you should accept the offer by Friday 25 August 2023.
- Take part in enrolment information and transition sessions during Term 4, 2023.
- Your child will start Foundation (Prep) from Tuesday 30 January 2024.
Enrolment applications submitted after 28 July 2023 will be processed by the school as they are received, in accordance with the Department of Education's Placement Policy.
Your child has a right to enrol at their local school. Our school can accept enrolments from outside our school zone, dependent on capacity. We are very keen to know what our sibling enrolments are likely to be for 2024 so we encourage you to enrol your child as soon as possible. This will assist greatly with our forward planning, and help us understand how many out of zone enrolments we may be able to cater for.
BUILDING WORKS It was good to finally see the portables being relocated this week, and it kept most of our students entertained for most recesses and lunchtimes. Soon the building of our new Administration building will commence, and this will happen at the same time as our new ‘pod’ of five classrooms in the north-west corner of the schoolgrounds are readied for occupation in 5 or 6 weeks. Thank you again to everyone for your patience and cooperation during the different phases of the building program.
PUPIL FREE DAY A reminder that Monday, May 8 is a pupil free day to enable staff to take part in a joint curriculum day onsite. All day care is available through Their Care and their normal contact number.
Have a great weekend.
Kind regards,
Bill Kersing
Principal
Parents and Friends We had our first meeting for Term 2 on Tuesday evening. It was a productive meeting, particularly as we get closer to the Mothers’ Day Stall (Wednesday 10th May!).
We need to let you know that we are still waiting on the final batch of prizes to arrive from the Colour Explosion Run. These will be distributed as soon as they arrive.
Second Hand Uniform Give Away On Wednesday 17th May and Friday 19th May between 3:15pm and 3:45pm, Parents and Friends will be having a number of our second-hand uniforms available for parents to take for free (or gold coin donation). This will be held in the court-yard area near the Year 2 playground. We have ‘mountains’ of used uniforms in varying condition that are unfortunately unnamed. Currently, the students in 5Z are managing the lost property and returning named items to students – we are grateful for what they are doing to help return lost clothing to the rightful owners.
Our regular second-hand uniform shop is open each Friday morning from 8:45am, operating outside the Music room.
Have a great week!
Patrick
Smile Squad Dental Care Returning to Viewbank The Smile Squad team from Banyule Community Health are coming to our school again from the 5th June to the 23 June 2023. Many families took advantage of this free service last year and we encourage new and returning families once again to register their child/ren for a dental check.
Smile Squad is the Victorian Government free school dental program.
This means all students can get a free dental check-up, preventive services, and treatment at school.
How to access free dental care
Smile Squad need your consent before they can provide services. Consent is usually provided by a parent or guardian. Please complete and submit the online consent form by 26/05/2023.
If you wish your child/ren to receive a dental check please sign up to Smile Squad at: https://bit.ly/smilesquadvic.
The electronic consent form can be translated into more than 100 languages.
Smile Squad dental packs
All children deserve a healthy smile, and the Smile Squad free school dental program is working hard to help make sure this happens.
Your child(ren) will soon receive a free dental pack to bring home. The dental pack contains a toothbrush, full sized toothpaste, and an oral health brochure. Please take the time to read the brochure. It’s full of helpful hints and tips to help your whole family eat well, drink well and clean well – for life.
Smile Squad provides standard strength fluoride toothpaste that is generally used by ages six and over, unless recommended by a dental or trained health professional.
If your child is under six, please talk to a dental or trained health professional to find out if your child might benefit from using this toothpaste. You can also choose to put the toothpaste away until they turn six or give it to someone else in your family to use.
Do I need to attend my child’s appointment?
No, you do not need to attend your child’s appointment. You can attend if you would like to, and you can take your child to the community dental clinic if you prefer.
The Banyule Community Health Smile Squad look forward to seeing you soon.
They say it takes a village to raise a child–parents, carers, teachers, support staff, to name a few– who all work together to support the children in their lives.
Thanks to the generous support of the Barr Family Foundation, Smiling Mind is extending an exclusive invitation to parents and carers of students at our Victorian partner schools to join us in a webinar next month to help support children’s mental fitness and social and emotional learning at home.
We invite parents and carers to join a free webinar next month, where a Smiling Mind psychologist will discuss common issues children face with their mental fitness including navigating friendships, emotional regulation and learning how to confidently take on more responsibility, with research and evidence to support parents and carers to confidently respond.
Webinar: Promoting mental fitness in your child
- Date/Time: Wednesday 24th May 2023 at 12:00pm AEST
- Registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cTbtO-zCTI6m-sTfunBPiA
Have a wonderful week.
Gill
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.
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.
Kind regards,
Lucy Addati
Business Manager
Who are we?
We are the Year 2 Team – Nicola Triantafillis, Kim Moucha and Tara Sawyer.
Between us, we have a combined total of 20 years experience in education. Our professional education has included: 2 x Bachelor of Education, 1 Bachelor of Education & Special Education, 1 x Diploma of Disability, 1 x Certificate 4 in Hospitality and Tourism, 1 x Certificate in Pharmacy Assistance and 1 x Real Estate Agents Representative Certificate.
Our hobbies include: swimming, painting, quilting, hiking, yoga, having massages, going to the movies and cooking.
Something we believed as children:
- You could sit on a cloud without falling through.
- If you turn the car light on while driving you will be arrested.
- If you swallow watermelon seeds, an entire watermelon will grow inside you.
- If you bury lolly snakes in the garden they will turn into real snakes.
Can you guess which member of the Year 2 team:
- Got engaged at school?
- Finished high school in South Korea?
- Was born in Africa?
- Wanted to be a Tornado Chaser for a career?
- Completed 8 years of dancing?
- Illustrated our SWPBS program?
Look what our Year 3's cooked this week!
.
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 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.
.
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