PUPIL FREE DAYS (OSHClub will be available on these days)

• Monday 1st November

TERM DATES

• 2021 TERM 3: Monday 12th July - Friday 17th September (2:30pm finish)
• 2021 TERM 4: Monday 4th October - Friday 17th December (1:30pm finish)

2021 CAMP DATES

• Year 3: Arrabri Lodge Camp - Wednesday 4th August to Friday 6th August
• Year 5: Lady Northcote Recreation Camp - Tuesday 5th October to Friday 8th October

TERM 2 PARENT AND FRIENDS BAKERY LUNCH DAYS - All Term 3 dates are now open for ordering via Compass Canteen.

• Thursday 22nd July - Canceled due to Lockdown, all payments have been returned to the student's Compass Wallet.
• Thursday 5th August (Orders closing on 2nd August, 3:00pm) - Please note Year 3 students will be on camp
• Thursday 19th August (Orders closing on 16th August, 3:00pm)
• Thursday 2nd September (Orders closing on 30th August, 3:00pm)

We are all very cognisant of the need to adjust, adapt and be resilient in these challenging times. I acknowledge how quickly the community reacted to last Thursday’s announcements and have supported the measures we put in place under some duress to ensure there was an online program for Friday, and a better planned and structured one for this week. Thank you to everyone – students, staff and parents for your flexibility, support and understanding.

As we hopefully return to Covid-normal onsite attendance next Wednesday, as always there will be changes to the ‘rules’. These are determined by the Department of Health, and translated into ‘Operational Guidelines’ which are issued by the Department Of Education and Training . It is our job to then adapt these for our particular circumstances here at Viewbank.

It has been extremely difficult to commit to larger school events this year as the uncertainty as we go in and out of lockdown and the potential financial costs as deposits are lost need to be factored in. That is why, at best, we will have our biennial school dance in our gym over the last two weeks of term, with the hope we can offer a matinee and evening session for limited audience numbers during those weeks. At worst, we won’t be able to host audiences but nonetheless our students will perform the dances they have learned and we will make a video available for parents to admire then and into the future!

Similarly, commitments to various sporting events (District finals, Regional Cross Country) and camps (the Grade 3 camp scheduled for August 4-6), as well as transition events, excursions, incursions, Council meetings and the like will continue to be managed according to the rules in place to protect community health and safety. I guess there is an acceptance that this is how things will be for some time. Please continue to check our website, Compass posts and even our Facebook pages for updates.

We have been lucky to date that we have managed to ‘sneak’ two school camps in and managed the three way conferences last week. In addition, we have had a number of sporting events, incursions and excursions. We will continue to keep everything crossed that other planned events can proceed. Graduation in 2021 will be an ‘at-school’ event, and plans are underway to make this just as special as last year’s was with the fervent hope that parents and families can attend.

In these times, our health (mental and physical) and wellbeing is paramount. It begs even greater need for respect, resilience, tolerance and support all of which seems to abound in our community.

I trust everyone has a good weekend, and look forward to a steady return to normal on site learning next week.

Kind regards,

Bill Kersing

Principal

Thank you once again to the school community for the wonderful support that is being providing for our students while they are learning from home. Although this is Lockdown #5, there are still challenges to be faced and some days are certainly easier than others. The key, I believe, is to acknowledge and celebrate that we are all doing our best – staff, families and students. Please remember to be tolerant, show empathy and focus on the positives. We may see a different way to do something or a better approach to achieving an outcome but it doesn’t mean it is the only way.

It really helps to focus on the big picture and celebrate achievements rather than focusing on small details and finding fault.

And if you have some spare time please listen to the below podcast from the team at The Resilience Project.

The Academy of Imperfection - Dr Billy Garvey, Paediatrician Go get your pens and notebooks everyone! In this edition of The Academy of Imperfection, students Hugh, Ryan, Josh sit down with famed paediatrician, Dr Billy Garvey of The Royal Children’s Hospital. Currently, Billy regretfully has a two and a half year waiting list to see him in person, but is keen to reach as many of you as possible NOW. And with all the talk on our podcast about parenting recently, we felt this was a very necessary episode. Billy may not look like one of Australia’s most respected and in-demand paediatricians, as we speak about in the episode, but gee whiz, he sure does talk like it!

• Apple Podcasts - Click Here
• iHeart Radio - Click Here
• Spotify Podcasts - Click here
• Stitcher - Click Here

Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our students and families remains our priority this year, especially during the continued COVID-19 pandemic and while students are learning from home during the current lockdown. I placed these resources in the newsletter a few weeks ago but in case you missed them, here they are again.

For students, the guide includes resources to support their own mental health and wellbeing.

• Advice and resources for students about ways to adapt their learning during COVID-19, to look after themselves and where to get help.
• Wellbeing activities fearing AFL and AFLW players with tips on managing stress, staying active and gratitude.
• Kick it with Victory physical activities with Melbourne Victory Football Club.
• Smiling Mind mindfulness activities for senior secondary school students, including short videos, online tip sheets and meditations

For parents and carers, the guide includes resources and supports to help you build your child’s physical and mental health and wellbeing. This includes:

• resources to support children’s physical, mental health and wellbeing
• wellbeing activities and conversation starters
• Raising Learners podcast series
• how to talk to your child about COVID-19.

Wellbeing guidance for parents and carers is also available on the Department’s website, or through the confidential parent support hotline, Parentline, available 8am to midnight, seven days a week. Phone: 13 22 89.

Take care and be kind,

Gill

Borrowing Devices During Lockdown Thank you to the families that have collected their requested iPads for remote learning. If your needs have changed and you now require a borrowed device from the school during remote learning, please send an email to viewbank.ps@education.vic.gov.au. Please include your child’s full name and grade and please indicate if you will also need a charger for the iPad (as some families do not need this). As we use these devices at school every day, we will require them to be returned to school as soon as remote learning finishes. The school will contact you once the iPad is ready to be collected.

Fun at Home During Lockdown It has been very inspiring to hear how families have adapted and supported their children with remote learning. To further assist families, the Department have provided some recommended activities to share with your child. These activity ideas are provided for parents to use with their children at home and provide fun, stimulating activities that can be used as described or adapted and built upon as desired. They are generally open-ended and can be interpreted by children of differing ages to suit their own capabilities/strengths. Enjoy and have fun!

Storyline Online - The activity involves children watching actors read well-known storybooks. There are suggestions for follow-up activities that mostly involve drawing and writing materials. https://www.storylineonline.net/

Discover your own mini zoo! - The activity involves children selecting an area of dirt/grass outside by placing a piece of string or a hula hoop over it and then searching for critters that live there (usually invertebrates). They can count them, draw them, write about them, photograph them, video them, graph them, map their pathways and then learn more about them from books or online.

Make Your Own Mandala -The activity involves children creating their own Mandala

What will you play today? - The Lego Foundation- Explore fun learning through play activities from the Lego Foundation, designed to help children develop skills for life. This is a playlist where there are many different activities from outdoor play to indoor play.

Live Cam: Melbourne Zoo Animal House -The Melbourne Zoo is bringing the animals to you with Live Cam 24/7. https://www.zoo.org.au/animal-house/

Melbourne Museum at Home - Melbourne Museum have curated their best online content for you to enjoy from the couch! Check out their virtual tours, videos and creative project ideas. Fun for all ages. https://museumsvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/at-home/

Scienceworks at Home -Enjoy their virtual tours, creative projects, videos and more. https://museumsvictoria.com.au/scienceworks/at-home/

2021 Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey We want our parents, caregivers and guardians to tell us what they think!

Viewbank Primary school is conducting a survey to find out what parents, caregivers and guardians think of our school. The Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education and Training that is conducted amongst a sample of parents, caregivers and guardians (previously known as the Parent Opinion Survey). It is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, student engagement and experiences of remote and flexible learning. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies.

All parents will be invited to participate in this year’s survey. All responses to the survey are anonymous. This year, the Parent, Caregiver and Guardian Opinion Survey will be conducted from Monday 19th July to Sunday 22nd August.

The survey will be conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time within the fieldwork period on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. Please look out for the link that will be published on Compass and via email. The online survey will be available in a range of languages other than English. These include: Arabic, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Chin (Hakha), Hindi, Japanese, Somali, Turkish, Punjabi and Greek.

Please contact me if you would like more information.

Have a great week!

Karen Butler

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.

Term Expenses Term 3 Expenses are now overdue. Please ensure you have also provided consent for all upcoming events on Compass. If you have difficulty making payment please contact me on 9459 1512.

Kind regards,

Lucy Addati

Business Manager

Bakery Lunch Orders - Every 2nd Thursday During Term

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

Our Term 3 Fundraising Lunch Order Dates are:

• Thursday 22nd July - Canceled due to Lockdown, all payments have been returned to the student's Compass Wallet.
• Thursday 5th August (Orders closing on 2nd August, 3:00pm) - Please note Year 3 students will be on camp
• Thursday 19th August (Orders closing on 16th August, 3:00pm)
• Thursday 2nd September (Orders closing on 30th August, 3:00pm)
• Thursday 16th September (Orders closing on 13th 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 and ordering is able to 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.

​​ICY POLE FRIDAY Students are able to purchase icy poles over the counter at lunchtime every Friday. All icy poles cost $1.00 each.

CLASSROOM CUISINE provides lunch orders to our school on a MONDAY, WEDNESDAY and FRIDAYS.

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.

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