IMPORTANT DATES
- Wednesday 6th April 2022 - JSC Casual Dress Day - Royal Children's Hospital
PUPIL FREE DAY
- Wednesday 13th July 2022
- Monday 31st October 2022
FUNDRAISING BAKERY LUNCH ORDER DATES - Lower Plenty Bakehouse
- Tuesday 5th April - Hot Cross Bun Family Fundraising packs (Orders closing on 1st April, 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
District Athletics Good luck to all of our District Athletics competitors as they take part in the district event tomorrow at Willinda Park in Greensborough. Win, lose or tie we know you will all ‘give it your best shot’ and we look forward to reporting on your efforts in next week’s newsletter.
Building Works Everyone will be pleased to know that we have nearly completed the Design Development phase of our building works, with designs set to go to contract and then tender during Term 2. As described before, over the next 12 -16 months, we will be provided with four new Mod 5 buildings (eight new classrooms), and a new Administration and staffroom (including conference rooms and first aid facilities). The current Art and Japanese rooms and the Southern building (currently housing administration and Grade 2 classrooms) will be demolished in a staged process that will allow the continuation of normal operations whilst buildings are constructed and moved. The final schematic design is attached for your ongoing interest and , naturally, as we start to enter the building phase there will be more regular updates. The recent working bee made great progress on readying the old tennis court up in the north west corner of the school grounds in preparation for a new school garden, with five mod 5 buildings (including two new) being moved up there during term 4. Exciting times ahead.
Masks A reminder that unless an exemption applies, all parents are still required to wear a mask when entering any school building. Thank you.
Annual Report The Annual Report to the School Community (Annual Report) provides principals and school councils with an opportunity to share the year’s achievements and progress with the school community. This includes reflecting on the school’s performance and explaining the positive impact of school improvement efforts on student outcomes.
The preparation and publication of an Annual Report is a legislative and regulatory requirement for all schools. School Council met last week to endorse and approve this year’s Annual Report which can now be found on the school’s website.
End Of Term Arrangements For those new to the school, and as a general reminder, school ends for Term 1 on Friday, April 8 at 2.30pm. Students will be dismissed directly from classrooms.
Have a great weekend and don’t forget to turn your clocks back before heading to bed on Saturday night!
Kind regards,
Bill Kersing
Principal
Staff Absences Like most schools in the state, we have had our share of student and staff absences due to the current isolation requirements, as well as for the many other ‘normal’ absence reasons such as sick family members (not Covid-19 related), funerals, Long Service Leave and medical appointments.
In many cases, we have been able to find Casual Relief Teachers (or CRTs). We have a fantastic list of our own, but we have been required to source some from a CRT Agency more regularly as the term has progressed to make up any shortfall. We use one of the largest agencies in Melbourne, but even they do not have enough staff available.
There have been a number of days when we have had to become ‘creative’ to ensure that a class has a teacher in front of it, and even then, we have had to ‘split’ classes across grades. Some of our creative solutions have required Mrs Nicholls, myself and Mr Kersing spending time in grades, and we have also had to use our literacy and numeracy support teachers (Mrs Course, Ms Ruddock, Mrs Gourzelas and Mrs Andrew), suspending their programs for parts or all of a day. This is not something that we do lightly but has become more necessary as the term has progressed.
As an example, on Wednesday 23rd March, we had 16 staff absent for one reason or another. When all options had been exhausted, we still had 4 classes that had no teacher. We became ‘creative’ and used CRTs whose class had a specialist class to cover, and one of our support teachers (the only one available that day), which resulted in only one class being ‘split’.
Class splitting is when the students from a class are sent to another class for the day or part of the day. If we ‘split’ one class, students (whom the classroom teacher has already nominated) are sent in groups of 2-4 to other classes. We try and keep these splits to within a year level plus up one or down one year level. For example, a Grade 3 class may be split amongst the other Year 3 classes and Year 4 classes, a Grade 6 class will be split amongst other Year 6 classes and the Year 5 classes.
We acknowledge that this is far from ideal. However, as mentioned above, it is not unique to Viewbank Primary School, it is impacting all schools throughout the state. It is important to support your child through these changes and help them to remain resilient and flexible. Please take a moment to reflect upon the fact that exactly two years ago, we were asked to prepare for Remote and Flexible Learning, which led to so much time spent away from school. We are lucky that we can remain open at this stage, and it remains our aim to be safe and continue to be open.
Have a great weekend.
Patrick
Smile Squad will be at Viewbank PS on the following dates:
Please complete the Permission Form and return it to the school office or your child’s teacher by the end of this week. Smile Squad personnel will be collecting all forms in the last week of term.
Lunchtime Clubs Return It was great to see the return of Origami Club during the week. Mrs Roccasalva and the Japanese Captains are taking advantage of the good weather to run the club each Monday near the Japanese Garden. The Origami Club is currently open to grade 3-6 students.
We also have Gardening Club happening each Wednesday lunchtime for students from all grades. Students can meet Dani at the vegetable garden at 1.10pm.
Hopefully next term the library will reopen at lunchtime and other clubs will begin.
SWPBS Rewards Congratulations to all our students who are earning Viewbank Bees for our Beehive. Hopefully, we will fill the hive by the end of term so that we can earn our first honeypot and a small whole school reward.
I know a number of students have completed all four value cards and will receive a SWPBS certificate at assembly shortly. They will also be able to choose an individual reward from the choice board. What an amazing effort everyone! Keep displaying our school values and earning your rewards.
Have a great week.
Gill
School Tours We will be running school tours on a Tue, Wed, Thu at 9.30am for prospective families from 29Mar. Please call the office to make a booking.
Enrolments We are currently accepting enrolments for 2023 and are happy to assist with any queries.
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
2022 Hot Cross Bun Fundraiser Lower Plenty Bakehouse will be providing the school with a fundraising Hot Cross Bun drive. This drive has been implemented via our Parents and Friends Committee. All money raised will be used towards our major school upgrade.
Orders need to be placed in advance via Compass Canteen. Ordering will close on Friday 1st April at 3pm. The Hot Cross Buns will be delivered to the school and sent home with the students on Tuesday the 5th of April. Please select the 5th of April as your sitting date when placing your order.
Thank you for your support.
2022 VIEWBANK PRIMARY SCHOOL EASTER RAFFLE $1.00 per raffle ticket, great prizes to be won!! Please return all sold tickets to school by Friday 1st April, 2022. Raffle to be drawn on Monday 4th April, 2022. Please ensure name and phone number are clearly written onto all sold tickets.
All money raised will be going towards our school's major upgrade fundraising project.
Thank you for your support.
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 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
PIANO/KEYBOARD - Ella
- Email: ellac.blackburn@gmail.com
- Phone: 0410 938 840
DRUMS - Michael
- Email: michaelfindlaymcnab@gmail.com
- Phone: 0451 394 540
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