PUPIL FREE DAY (OSHClub available)
- Monday 31st October 2022
FUNDRAISING BAKERY LUNCH ORDER DATES - Lower Plenty Bakehouse
- Thursday 28th July (Orders closing on 25th July, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 4th August (Orders closing on 1st August, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 11th August (Orders closing on 8th August, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 18th August (Orders closing on 15th August, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 25th August (Orders closing on 22nd August, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 1st September (Orders closing on 29th August, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 8th September (Orders closing on 5th September, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 15th September (Orders closing on 12th September, 3:00pm)
2022 TERM DATES
- 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 5: Lady Northcote Recreation Camp - Tuesday 4th October to Friday 7th October
- Year 6: Camp Coonawarra - Monday 18th July to Friday 22nd July
BAIRNSDALE CAMP The Grade 6 students have had a great time at Camp Coonawarra (Bairnsdale) this week, albeit a slightly chilly one. Many thanks to the staff and our volunteer parents for all of their efforts and dedication in getting this ‘over the line’ and to the students for taking on the challenges that camp life has to offer (being away from Mum and Dad for four nights, tidying up after themselves, duty groups, taking on the flying fox and facing their fears and so on!). I am sure there will be some tired but elated people returning to school just after 2.30pm tomorrow.
CONGRATULATIONS …. To Jayden Buenaobra from Grade 6M who has been selected for the State Hockey Team to play in Canberra later this year. This is a wonderful achievement and we wish Jayden all the best.
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING I have accurate details this week! The subcommittee is meeting at 7pm next Tuesday, July 26 in the staffroom. All welcome.
COVID UPDATES As we wrestle with the latest covid ‘wave’ it is appropriate to continue to remind everyone of the measures we have in place to stop the spread. In terms of local arrangements, we will continue to have separate school assemblies for Grades 3 to 6 (Mondays, 9am) and Grades Foundation to 2 (Fridays 9am). We continue to encourage you to just drop your children off in the mornings before school and to limit your time on-site after school.
The Victorian Government is providing up to three further deliveries of rapid antigen tests in Term 3 and again in Term 4 to schools.
It is recommended that rapid antigen tests are used by students and staff when symptomatic. Household contacts are required to test negative using a rapid antigen test on at least 5 out of 7 if they are attending or working at a school onsite.
If staff or students receive a positive test result at any time, they must report this through the Department of Health system (Rapid antigen tests | Coronavirus Victoria) or via the coronavirus hotline at 1800 675 398.
Students (or their parents) must also report a positive result to their school, either through the COVID Test portal or by phone or written notification; this is so the school can record that they will be absent while in 7-day isolation, provide support and learning materials as needed, and let the rest of the school community know there has been a positive case onsite and that they should monitor for symptoms.
The latest health advice also strongly recommends the wearing of face masks in indoor settings (noting that exceptions to the recommendation apply to teaching circumstances when clear enunciation or visibility of the mouth is essential).
Household contacts attending school who are over 8 years of age are required to wear face masks indoors unless they have a valid exception.
Everyone including students aged 8 years and above must wear a face mask when travelling on public transport, taxis or ride share vehicles.
That’s it from me for this week. I hope everyone has a lovely weekend.
Kind regards,
Bill Kersing
Principal
NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.
Last week, many classes recognised NAIDOC Week completing learning activities to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
This year the theme for NAIDOC Week was Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!
Our ‘sea of hands’ representing support for reconciliation, rights and respect is proudly on display in the garden surrounding our flagpoles.
Berry Street Parenting Seminars Don’t forget to register for the upcoming free online parenting programs available for Viewbank families-
- Supporting Children with Anxiety - 11 August
- Moving Confidently into the Teen Years - 25 August
Enjoy the rest of the week.
Gill
2023 Year 7 Placements For our 2022, Year 6 parents and guardians, the 2023 Year 7 Student Placement information is now available. You can collect these from the office. Any letters not picked up will be sent home with the students on Monday. This is a huge amount of work with multiple handling of documents. In some cases, these have been required to be sent to 2nd or even 3rd preference schools. As with every Victorian government school, we have followed the Year 6 to Year 7 Transition policy from DET - you can access this at https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/transition-year-6-7/policy. We forward forms to schools based on the parent preference list. However, in many cases, the decision from government secondary schools does come down to where a family lives as per https://www.findmyschool.vic.gov.au/.
Year 6 Camp I spent Monday and Tuesday at camp with our Year 6s. They were having a fabulous time there participating in: Archery, Canoeing, Climbing Wall, Flying Fox, Giant Swing, High Ropes and Orienteering. There was also some free time available where they could sit and chat with their friends, play board games, play in the Gaga Pit or on the Beach Volleyball court! There are some photos available on our school Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/viewbankps
Hope your heaters are working!
Have a great weekend!
Patrick
LATE ARRIVALS Please ensure children who arrive late go straight to the office to be marked as present. If the child does not come to the office for a late pass a text message will be sent to the parent/carer notifying that the child is absent. Late arrivals can only be time stamped at the office. When Parents/carers record the late arrival in Compass it provides us with the explanation but does not mark your child as present. When your child presents at the office, staff will record your child’s actual arrival time which updates the class roll.
EMAILING TEACHERS DIRECTLY A reminder that you can now email your child/ren’s teachers directly, if you do not have their email address, please email the school account viewbank.ps@education.vic.gov.au to request the teachers’ email.
TERM 3 EXTRA-CURRICULAR ITEMS (EXCURSIONS/INCURSIONS/ACTIVITIES) Term 3 Extra-curricular items (excursions/incursion/activities) will be published on Compass on Friday. Please contact Lucy Addati, the Business Manager for a confidential discussion regarding financial hardship arrangements or a payment plan.
Thank you again to all the families who have made voluntary financial contributions towards our curriculum and other contributions. Without your contributions our school would not be as wonderful as it is.
CUTLERY AND FOOD FOR STUDENTS The office will no longer be able to provide plastic cutlery for students. Please ensure that if your child requires cutlery for their food it is packed in their lunch box.
We have a had an increased number of students coming to the office requesting food as they believe they have insufficient food in their lunch box. Can you please ensure your child is provided with enough food to satisfy them for the day as we are unable to supply extra food.
FOUNDATION ENROLMENTS 2023 Applications are now taking place for new Foundation students for 2023. If any of our existing families have children that need to be enrolled for next year, we encourage you to download the enrolment form from our webpage and email to viewbank.ps@education.vic.gov.au or return signed form to the office with a copy of the birth certificate, immunisation certificate and proof of address document such as a drivers licence. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the office.
OSHClub (Outside School Hours Care) Please be aware that if your child is not registered with OSHClub they will be unable to access the program in an emergency. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you register your child/ren for OSHClub in case you may need it one day.
SICK BAY Sometimes it can be tricky to discern whether your child is fit to attend school. If your child is feeling unwell with cold/flu like symptoms, have been vomiting or had diarrhoea in the last 24 hours please keep them at home until they are well again. Sick bay tends to be a busy hub so if we call for your child to be picked up and you are unavailable, please make other arrangements as it not acceptable or practical to accommodate a sick child at school for the whole day.
Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2009 It is the parent’s responsibility to advise the school via Compass if their child is away from school via and alert us of notifiable diseases as per School Exclusion Table. https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/infectious-diseases/school-exclusion
DISPENSING MEDICATION If your child requires prescribed medications a signed parent Medication Authority Form is required. Medications such as antihistamines and paracetamol are not stored or dispensed to students unless they are supplied from home with a signed parent Medication Authority Form.
WORKING WITH CHILDREN CHECK (WWCC) A ‘Working with Children Check’ is just one part of creating and maintaining a child-safe environment. It is a requirement that all parents/careers who wish to volunteer or participate in school activities have a current WWCC. https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/
VOLUNTEERS/PARENT READING HELPERS SIGN IN/OUT OFFICE PROCEDURES When arriving at the school office please use the electronic sign in system. All volunteers are required to enter their ‘Working with Children Check’ number when registering for first time. At the end of your registration, it will ask if you would like to create a QuickPin which is a number (a number you will remember like your mobile) which you will use to sign in/out each time so that you do not have to register each time you attend. Without a valid WWCC card you will be unable to sign in and volunteer. It is imperative that we are aware of who is on school premises at all times. Please also wear the visitor lanyard while volunteering at the school as this helps identifying persons on school grounds and creates a safe environment for all.
COMPASS If you have any questions or require assistance with Compass, please contact the office or refer to the Compass Parent Guide on your Compass Newsfeed.
Kind regards,
Lucy Addati
Business Manager
Year 6 Camp - Student Recaps
Favourite moment:
- The giant swing as it gives you a lot of adrenaline.
- The Royal caves because it was very fun seeing the drips zones, I like seeing all the formations of the rocks.
- Canoeing, because you actually got to learn how to maneuver yourself in a canoe
- Going to the top of the giant swing. It was a new experience for me and really fun.
- I loved the food, every night we got dessert!
What they’ve learnt:
- I learnt canoeing is hard
- I learnt how to problem solve
- I learnt to trust people
- I learnt to push yourself and do things even when they seem hard
- We all learnt that it can get really cold at a camp but still be lots of fun.
Thank you Woolworths and Landcare Australia On Monday morning we were lucky enough to receive a visit from representatives of Woolworths Heidelberg on behalf of Woolworths and Landcare Australia. They presented us with a certificate to acknowledge the $1,000 donation to the school that is the result of a successful grant submission. This money will be used towards establishing the Jilinga Gardens area of the school. We are very grateful for this donation as well as the fresh fruit that was given to the school.
Assembly Speech by Year 4 students Abbey, Orlando, Mackenzie and Joshua.
On behalf of the students and staff of Viewbank Primary School we would like to thank you for your very generous gift.
Your support of $1,000 will go a very long way. Our Jilinga Gardens project is something that the Year 3 and Year 4 students are working on during our Kitchen Garden sessions and in our inquiry.
We are excited to purchase the following items to set up our Jilinga garden: fruit trees, garden tools, vegetable punnets, garden soil, student gloves, adult gloves and watering cans.
Our goal is to grow fresh, healthy food including fruits and vegetables that we can enjoy and cook with in the Kitchen.
We can’t wait to improve our Jilinga garden! It wouldn’t be possible without your help and support.
Thank you Woolworths and Landcare Australia.
What a great team effort,
Mr. Ruddock and Ms. Kirkwood
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The Parents & Friends Committee needs you! Save the Date: 7.30pm Tuesday 2 August – Viewbank Parents & Friends Committee
The Viewbank Primary School Parents & Friends Committee are seeking new members to help deliver the important community-building and fundraising activities. The P&F team is friendly, meets both online and face to face, and needs only a small time commitment from its members.
P&F funds contribute to projects that improve the school environment, such upgrading playgrounds, and fitting out the new Stephanie Alexander Kitchen and Garden.
What’s involved?
The committee meets twice per term to plan for and deliver activities for the school community. We typically have plenty of volunteers to help out ‘on the day’ but we need more people to help plan these activities in advance.
There are two activities planned for Term 3: the Father’s Day stall and the School disco. Hurrah!
If you would like more information, please contact the office on 9459 1512
Lower Plenty Bakehouse will be providing the school with fundraising Lunch Orders every Thursday during Term 3. These lunches have been implemented via our Parents and Friends Committee. All money raised will be used towards our major school upgrade.
Our Term 3 Fundraising Lunch Order Dates are:
- Thursday 28th July (Orders closing on 25th July, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 4th August (Orders closing on 1st August, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 11th August (Orders closing on 8th August, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 18th August (Orders closing on 15th August, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 25th August (Orders closing on 22nd August, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 1st September (Orders closing on 29th August, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 8th September (Orders closing on 5th September, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 15th September (Orders closing on 12th September, 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 3 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