TERM 4 PARENT AND FRIENDS BAKERY LUNCH DAYS - All Term 4 dates are now open for ordering via Compass Canteen.

• Thursday 25th November (Orders closing on 22nd November, 3:00pm)
• Thursday 9th December (Orders closing on 6th December, 3:00pm)

2021 TERM DATES

• Term 4: 4th October - 17th December (1:30pm finish)

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 CAPTAINS Last Friday we had the great pleasure of conducting final interviews for the positions of School Captains 2022. It was a difficult choice, as all of the students interviewed were worthy of these positions, and all spoke with purpose, passion and commitment to being the best role model they could be.

I am pleased to announce the Viewbank Primary School Captains for 2022:

• GIRLS - Ivy Stevens (Captain) and Sofia Hadjigeorgiou (Vice Captain)
• BOYS - Callum McLauchlan (Captain) and Jacob Clare (Vice Captain)

The students will be presented with their badges at a suitable time in the very near future. We will now conduct the process for House and other Captains in upcoming weeks.

2022 FOUNDATION INFORMATION NIGHT Subject to the current Covid requirements, we will be holding our November Information Night for the Foundation 2022 families in the gymnasium next Thursday, November 25 from 6.30pm to 7.30pm. The families will hear all of the important information to make the start of next year a smooth transition, will be introduced to the 2022 Foundation teachers and will be advised of class allocations and have any further questions answered.

DANCE AND SWIMMING PROGRAMS The return to normal continues with the resumption of our ‘interrupted’ dance program on site next week, and involvement in our water safety program at the La Trobe University pool the following week. Much to look forward to. The swimming program will be funded in its entirety this year by school funding, most of which comes from a Department Of Education and Training (DET) Grant. In future years, the bus cost will be at parent cost, but the lesson and pool hire cost is funded by DET. The Compass post detailing this year’s arrangements will be available on Friday, after some last minute changes to enable sole use of the pool by our school during the relevant times.

AS END OF YEAR APPROACHES…. we have so many things to cover. Whilst we still navigate the intricacies of the Department Of Health advice, and the corresponding Department of Education operational guidelines, there’s hope that impending announcements this week or over the weekend will aid us in returning to normal more quickly. We will keep you posted. In the meantime, we are planning for end of year activities for the students, busily continuing to work on grade and staff selection, writing reports, rehearsing for on site graduation and more. Please continue to check all Compass posts as they are regular throughout the week and not just a ‘once a week on Thursdays’ publication like our school newsletter.

Have a great weekend.

Kind regards,

Bill Kersing

Principal

Returning to school after lockdown

After the initial excitement of returning to school, you wouldn't be alone if you have noticed that your child is tired, flat and not overly enthusiastic about getting ready for school each morning. Of course, some students are thriving but for those who are struggling some extra practical and emotional support to adjust may be required.

If you are wondering what you can do to support your child as they return to school, the following five tips from https://theparentswebsite.com.au may help.

1. Renegotiate Routines

Like adults, children and teens are likely to have established quite different routines during lockdown. They may have also become accustomed to more screen time than usual.

To ease the transition to a regular school routine, it is worth making slow adjustments like getting up and going to bed at a more consistent time. Parents can support autonomy by negotiating new routines with their child. While teens may be more resistant to parents placing restrictions on their screen time, this is less likely when parents provide explanations and acknowledge teens’ perspectives.

2. Allow time for adjustment

Returning to school may bring uncertainty, excitement, fatigue or other big emotions. Some children may seem particularly tired after their first few days, while others may be more sensitive or less tolerant than usual.

Don’t despair if your child seems to experience more big emotions at home than at school: this likely means that home is a safe place to return to! Help children to name any negative emotions that arise, such as frustration, and gently coach them to consider other ways of expressing themselves.

3. Acknowledge children’s worries

Children and teens may have specific worries related to COVID-19, to changing friendships, or to being back at school. Younger children may also experience separation anxiety after extended periods of having their families as their sole source of social connection.

If your child raises concerns about whether they will be safe returning to school, it is useful to provide simple and factual information about COVID-19 while providing gentle reminders that the adults around them are there to help them stay healthy. Adopt a problem-solving approach: helping children to focus on what they can control, rather than worrying about things that are outside our control.

Regardless of the source of their worries, it is important to acknowledge and validate your child’s feelings. You can point out that many children may be feeling the same way, and that their concerns are understandable. At the same time, remaining calm and focusing on the positive aspects of returning to school can help to relieve some of their concerns.

4. Coach empathy

Children and teens have had different experiences during lockdown and may have different feelings about being back at school. Understanding that other children may feel differently can help your child to be a good friend.

Remind children that some of their friends will feel more nervous about returning than others. In primary school, some might also make different decisions about masks.

If your child has been in a ‘friendship bubble’ with only a small number of other friends, encourage them to include those who have not. Being empathetic towards others and acknowledging how they are feeling will not only help your child socially, it is also an important socioemotional skill to master.

5. Be optimistic

Remember that most children adjust well when faced with new challenges. Parents can prompt children and teens to remember what they enjoy most about school to help them look forward to returning. Reminiscing about funny stories or enjoyable school events that children have experienced can help with this process.

It is important to still acknowledge your child’s feelings if they express a preference for learning from home. You may wish to share these concerns with their teacher. However, it is helpful for your own approach to reflect optimism and confidence. Avoid introducing your own worries if you can: parent anxiety can be contagious!

If you are concerned about your child’s behaviour as they navigate the return to school, please contact their teacher or the school or speak with your GP. Other resources that can help include Kids Helpline, Beyond Blue, or Headspace.

Enjoy the week

Gill

Face Masks Please remember to provide masks for your children as the school only has a limited number of disposal masks available.

Term Expenses Term 3 expenses that were paid for activities and did not occur have been allocated to Term 4 term expenses. If a family has credit with the school it will automatically be used towards this terms and future term expenses unless previous arrangements have been made.

2022 Parent Payment ArrangementsThe 2022 Parent Payment Arrangements letter was emailed to families yesterday.

We continue to value your contributions in supporting our school’s programs and resources. These contributions assist us to broaden the educational experience for our students. Without your contributions some of these may not be possible.

Please note: All classroom supplies will be provided directly to the classrooms in bulk, we are no longer providing individual book packs. Teachers (including specialist teachers) will distribute stationery and other supplies to the students as they are needed.

Payments will be able to be made on Compass from Saturday 18 December 2021.

If you did not receive the Parent Payment Arrangements letter please contact the office asap.

Remote Learning: Limited Access

Access to school grounds is limited to:

• school staff
• students attending on-site learning
• contractors, including cleaners and maintenance workers
• outside-school-hours-care (OHSC) staff, enrolled children and their families.

If you need to collect or drop off anything at the school please call the office and a staff member will meet you at the main gate (Gate 1) on Nevin Parade.

Thank you for your understanding and stay safe.

Lucy Addati

Business Manager

Congratulations to our Years 3- 6 Maths Olympiad Teams!

The APSMO Maths Olympiad has been operating in primary schools since 1987. Each year, thousands of schools participate in the competition from around Australia and New Zealand.

Three teams, comprising of Grades 3- 6 students at VBPS, have worked hard during Terms 1, 2 and 3, developing and improving their problem solving skills and completing five Competition Tests.

Next week, all teams will come together, with Mr Kersing and Mrs Nicholls to celebrate their accomplishments, as we award certificates and trophies for outstanding performances. Unfortunately, due to current COVID restrictions parents are unable to attend.

We have an extra reason to celebrate this year, as our Year 6 Team have been awarded a Certificate of High Team Achievement! Collectively, the team has achieved a score in the top 25% of team scores in their division, which is a wonderful result. We are proud of all our student’s achievements and look forward to the presentations.

Rachel Richardson and Kylie Kirkwood

Maths Olympiads Teachers

Year 4 News: Progress in International Reading Study (PIRLS) A number of Year 4 classes around Australia have been selected to take part in the Progress in International Reading Study (PIRLS). PIRLS is an important educational research project investigating student achievement in reading. More than 50 countries, including Australia, are participating in this study. PIRLS is an important activity to keep us, as parents and citizens, informed about how our students in Australia are performing in comparison to their peers in other countries and to compare programs of study and teaching practices. We will be able to obtain current national and international information which will help improve the teaching and learning in reading in our country.

On Tuesday November 23rd, the students in 4N will do an assessment in reading literacy and complete a questionnaire about their experiences at home and school. There is no need for students to study specifically for the assessment as it will not affect individual students’ grades or progress in school. A small gift will be given to participating students. Individual student profiles will also be provided to participating students towards the middle of 2022.

All data will be kept strictly confidential and no individual student or school will be identified in published data or reports.

Jane McLeod

Leading Teacher – Curriculum Manager

Our Annual Book Fair is on next week. Due to Department Guidelines, parents will not be allowed to attend onsite. All students will be given the opportunity to visit the Fair between Monday and Thursday next week.

1. Teachers will bring their class down to the Library to view the books for sale.
2. The students will fill in their “Wish List” and take it home.
3. Payment will be made online.
4. The student then brings their receipt to the Library the next day and they will be given their books.

Students can also come to browse before school, after school and the 1st half of lunchtime each day.

The Book Fair raffle is back this year! The tickets are 20c or 6 for $1. There are book prizes for each year level to be won. A representative from each year level will come to the classrooms selling tickets each day next week. There will also be some stationary items for sale in the Library, ranging from 50c to $2.

The school receives a small commission on all items sold which is used to buy resources for the Library.

Thank you for supporting your school Library.

Bakery Lunch Orders - Every Second Thursday - All Term 4 dates are now open for ordering via Compass Canteen.

• Thursday 25th November (Orders closing on 22nd November, 3:00pm)
• Thursday 9th December (Orders closing on 6th December, 3:00pm)

Lower Plenty Bakehouse will be providing the school with fundraising Lunch Orders every second Thursday. These lunches will be implemented via our Parents and Friends Committee and all money raised will be used towards our major school oval upgrade.

Orders need to be placed in advance via Compass Canteen. Ordering will close the Monday before the lunch date at 3pm.

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.

​​ICY POLE FRIDAY Students are able to purchase icy poles over the counter at lunchtime every Friday. All icy poles cost $1.00 each. Due to COVID-19 Guidelines, this event has been cancelled until further notice.

Lunches must be ordered online using the CLASSROOM CUISINE website.

Extra Curricula Clubs We have a range of weekly extra curricula activities that students are invited to participate in. Some are free and others require parent payment. If your child wishes to join please encourage them to go along on the scheduled day or you may like to contact the school office or the classroom teacher to discuss participation.

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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. Due to COVID-19 Guidelines, this stall is closed until further notice.

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 WITH MR CAI - Gabriella

• Email: favrettogab@gmail.com
• Phone: 0413 676 733

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