PUPIL FREE DAYS

• Tuesday January 28th, 2020
• Wednesday January 29th, 2020
• Tuesday April 14th, 2020
• One extra day yet to be confirmed in 2020

TERM DATES

• 2020 TERM 1: Tuesday 28th January - Teachers start (All students start Thursday 30th January) - Friday 27th March (2:30pm finish)
• 2020 TERM 2: Tuesday 14th April - Friday 26th June (2:30pm finish)
• 2020 TERM 3: Monday 13th July - Friday 18th September (2:30pm finish)
• 2020 TERM 4: Monday 5th October - Friday 18th December (1:30pm finish)

CAMP DATES

• Year 6: Canberra Camp (Mon 25May to Fri 29May 2020)
• Year 4: Anglesea Recreation Camp (Wed 27May to Wed 29May 2020)
• Year 3: Arrabri Lodge Camp (Mon 27July to Wed 29July 2020)
• Year 5: Lady Northcote Recreation Camp (Tue 06Oct to Fri 09Oct 2020)

JAPANESE, SUSTAINABILITY AND MUSIC CAPTAINS 2020 The final announcements with regards our student leadership positions were made at last Wednesday’s House Captain Badge presentation.

PUPIL FREE DAYS 2020 At the final School Council Meeting for 2019, three of next year’s pupil free days were approved. The first two days of Term 1, January 28 and 29 have been approved, making Thursday, January 30 the first day of school for students next year. In a similar fashion, the first day of Term 2, Tuesday April 14, will also be a pupil free day. The final pupil free day of 2020 will be advised early next year.

FINAL ASSEMBLY At time of writing the forecast maximum temperature for Friday is 41 degrees. Given that information, we have decided to have a shorter than normal final assembly in the gymnasium commencing at 1.00pm and concluding no later than 1:15pm. The prime focus of that assembly, apart from wishing all a merry and safe Christmas and New Year, will be to officially farewell our graduates and others leaving our school. We hope you can make it. ALL Grade Foundation to 5 students will be dismissed from their classrooms at 1.30pm. Year 6 students will be dismissed from the gym foyer at 1:30pm.

GRADUATION Tuesday night’s graduation at Loyola College was a wonderful occasion and a great celebration of the end of primary school for 86 of our Grade 6 students. Congratulations to everyone involved in making the night so special.

THANK YOU I would like, in closing, to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their efforts in 2019 and for making Viewbank PS the school that it is. To our staff, many thanks for your tireless commitment and professionalism throughout the year. To our students, it is always a joy to teach and guide you, to see you grow, to share in your highs and help with your lows. To our graduating class of Grade 6 in particular, it has been a pleasure to know and teach you all, and we wish you continued success in your studies, and remind you that you are always welcome to pay us a visit. To our parents and guardians thank you for your support in so many ways. I hope we all take time to rest and recharge over the holiday break, and I wish all a very Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and a safe and peaceful holiday break.

Kind regards,

Bill Kersing

Principal

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FURNITURE MOVING DAY A huge thank you to the amazing team of parents who assisted with moving furniture yesterday. James, Nick, Kathryn, Dani, Jackson and Mark worked solidly to move sixteen rooms of furniture along with cupboards, storage units and couches, all by 1.00pm. It was a mammoth effort and they certainly enjoyed their icypole at the end. A willing band of students also assisted across the day. A great job everyone, we would not have managed without you all.

Thanks also to the volunteers who were going to help out today, your offer of assistance was greatly appreciated.

A true example of Viewbank spirit!

YEAR IN REVIEW - THANK YOU! 2019 has been another bumper year, packed with many highlights including our School Production, school athletics and cross country days, JSC fundraising days, camps and excursions.

We have also celebrated many academic, sporting, arts, chess and student leadership activities and achievements throughout the year.

Recently, we have held special events to acknowledge the contributions of our parent helpers, School Council and Parent and Friends as well as our Christmas Carols evening to celebrate the festive season with our school community.

Earlier this week we celebrated the wonderful achievements of our graduating Year 6 students at Loyola College and I’d like to wish them the very best as they move onto secondary school. Other year levels have all celebrated the year with a range of activities and class parties.

These amazing achievements and events could not possibly occur without the contributions and support from our entire Viewbank school community – staff, students, parents, carers and local community members.

I wish everyone a safe and relaxing holiday period and I look forward to see you in the new year, refreshed and ready for 2020.

Have a wonderful Christmas and a safe New Year.

Gill Nicholls

Holidays Another year has passed by unbelievably quickly. And while we still have not quite finished this year, so much is in place to provide the students of Viewbank Primary School as many opportunities as possible for 2020.

Don’t forget to check the dates at the top of the newsletter and get them into your diary/calendar as soon as possible. In February, we hit the ground running again!

Congratulations to our Class of 2019, I hope you take the opportunities that are presented to you, and you explore them as much as possible - you never know where you may end up!

I hope you have a happy and safe break (particularly if spending time on the roads), and you return to school refreshed and ready to go for another year!

Have a great holiday everyone!

Patrick

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The School Council would like to thank the caring and professional teachers and staff of Viewbank Primary School for everything they have done for our children this year. For our tireless army of volunteers and parent helpers, we thank you for all the time and the effort that you have given to make things magically happen. And of course congratulations go out to all our students who have made us so proud this year.

Have a safe and fun Christmas. As Audrey Hepburn said, the most important thing is to enjoy your life — to be happy. It's all that matters! 😀See you in 2020!

Ian Sherlock

On Behalf of the School Council.

2020 School Charges/Fees - $320 per Student School Charges are paid through Compass. Payments can only be made online from Saturday 21 December 2019 and are due by Monday 27 January 2020. If you are having issues with Compass, have forgotten your password or have no access please contact the school office as soon as possible.

Alternate Payment Arrangements and Assistance: Please be advised there are alternative payment options for families who may be experiencing financial hardship or who would prefer a regular payment plan. Families holding a valid means-tested concession card are eligible for the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) that provides payments for eligible students to attend activities. The CSEF is an annual payment to the school to be used towards camps and term expenses for the benefit of the eligible student (2020 primary school student rate is $125).

Please contact me if you wish to arrange a payment plan prior to the end of the school year.

OSHClub (Before/After School and Vacation Care provider) is open on the first 2 pupil free days at the start of the school year Tuesday 28th and Wednesday 29th January, 2020.

​Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) The Government assisted 'Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund' provides payments for eligible students to attend camps, sports and excursions. Applications for the Governments ‘Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund’ can be accessed by filling out the form available on Compass or the office.

To be eligible for this funding, you need to hold a current Pension or Health Care Card. Please note: as this funding is means tested, the Parent/Guardian MUST be the card holder, no Medical Health Care Cards in the student’s name will be accepted as it will be rejected by the CSEF system. Funds will be automatically allocated to the Term Expenses unless otherwise stated by the parent at the start of the year.

Kind regards

Lucy Addati

Business Manager

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MyUniforms will be closed for the Christmas/New Year period as of Wednesday 18th December 2019 until Wednesday 15th January 2020.

From Wednesday 15th January 2020 to Friday 31st January 2020 inclusive, trading hours will be Monday-Friday 9.00am-4.30pm, Closed Weekends and Public Holidays, and will return to normal after this period.

Uniforms can also be purchased online at www.aplusschoolwear.com.au with one of three delivery options:

• Free collection in store during trading hours.
• Postage to address of customer’s choosing, at $12.50 for two items or less, or $17.50 for three items or more.
• Free delivery to school, to an existing student at Viewbank Primary. Please note, this option is not available if the customer does not already have a student at the school.

Support those who support us! Viewbank Primary School would like to thank the local businesses who have contributed to our fundraising efforts through prize sponsorship in 2019 (e.g. Disco Bingo Night, Concert Raffles, and Christmas Carols Night - raffles, time and goods). We are busily fundraising for our oval upgrade (check the cricket pitch and nets after the holidays!).

For those of you whom have been a beneficiary of a prize win, we hope you enjoy your winnings!

Thank you!

ICY POLE FRIDAY Students are able to buy icy poles over the counter at lunchtime. All icy poles cost $1.00 each. We are asking for parent helpers to assist with the sale of these icy poles on Fridays from 1pm to 1:30pm.

SSV State Team Trials The following is taken from the School Sport Victoria (SSV) website:

Each year, talented Victorian school students have the opportunity to trial for a place in the School Sport Victoria (SSV) Team Vic state team and participate in annual School Sport Australia (SSA) Championships including the Pacific School Games (PSG) held every second year. Forty-six teams will be selected across twenty-one sports, involving over one thousand primary and secondary school students representing 'Team Vic'.

The sports include Australian Football, Baseball, Basketball, Cricket, Cross Country, Diving, Football (Soccer), Golf, Hockey, Netball, Orienteering, Rugby League, Softball, Surfing, Swimming, Tennis, Touch Football, Track and Field, Triathlon, Volleyball and any sport approved for Pacific School Games.

The SSA Championships offer gifted and talented students the opportunity to participate in higher levels of sporting competition against students from other Australian states and territories. This opportunity may be the highest level that students may achieve in their lifetime or may just be the stepping stone to higher state or international representation.

Students who nominate for trials obviously need to be playing competitively at a very high standard in their chosen sport. As a guide, they would be the type of player who is dominant in their age group and regularly winning ‘Best and fairest’/’Most Valuable Player’ awards. The purpose of these trials is NOT to provide an opportunity for students to gain experience or ‘have a go’; it is about identifying elite talent for a Victorian State Team.

If your child is suitable and interested, please check the SSV website for further details:

HATS ON From 1st September until 30th April school hats must be worn outside during all outside activities.

RUNNING GROUP Every Tuesday and Thursday from 8:15am on the oval, for any students in years 4-6. All abilities welcome. Pack a spare pair of socks/shoes in case the oval is damp. Hope to see you there!

SCHOOL CHOIR Every Wednesdays, 8.30, in the Music room. Everyone from Year 2 to 6 are welcome!

PHONE NUMBER: 0448 075 422

EMAIL: viewbank@oshclub.com.au