- Wednesday 24th April - Walkathon
- Thursday 9th May - Mothers Day Stall
PUPIL FREE DAYS 2024
- Friday, April 26
- Monday, July 15
- Monday, November 4
2024 TERM DATES
- TERM 2: 15th April - 28th June
- TERM 3: 15th July - 20th September
- TERM 4: 7th October - 20th December
2024 CAMP DATES
- Grade 3 Camp to Phillip Island - October 28 to 30
- Grade 4 Camp to Anglesea - May 15 to 17
- Grade 5 Camp to Bacchus Marsh October 9 to 11
- Grade 6 Camp - April 29 to 1 May
Welcome Back and Staff News Welcome to the start of another exciting term! I hope you all had a wonderful Easter. As mentioned by Mr Kersing in the second last Viewbank Voice last term (https://new.express.adobe.com/webpage/LeYRK96rIi4jg), he is away for 6-8 weeks recovering from his hip replacement, and Mrs Nicholls is still in the US visiting her first grandchild (and of course her son and daughter-in-law!). To help support me in the first three weeks of this term, Sandy Farley (Week 1), Jamie Ruddock (Week 2) and Phillip Byrne (Week 3) are stepping out of their classes. We also welcomed Griff Gavan to our school officially on Monday. We hope he has many happy years here with us.
Baby News Our school community offers our congratulations to Sally Stepowski and her partner Greg on the birth of their second child during the holidays. A lovely sister for Ella!
Pirate Ship I am pleased to announce that the Foundation / Year 1 Playground now incorporates the Pirate Ship playground, once again. We are incredibly grateful to Michael, Anthony, Ben (school councillors) and Michael’s son, Max, for spending many hours here on Sunday 14 April to get this ready for us – thank you!
Other Building Works At the time of writing, work was continuing on the wall outside 1W and the additional support room. We are hoping that this will be completed and ready for us to progress on the next stage of the works in that area.
Student Safety We have had several close calls with cars racing through the local roads. I am aware of near misses on Winston Road, Lascelles Avenue and Nevin Parade. We know that these are not all members of our primary school community (but some have been). We will be reinforcing road safety with our students, but we ask that you also support us by talking to your children about safe crossing practices. If you need to drop your child off (or pick them up) on the side of the road opposite the school, please instruct them to walk to a crossing where there is a crossing supervisor and cross there. We know that there may be an appointment that you may need to get to, however, your child being struck by a car is not worth it. Thank you for your support with this.
Vandalism Unfortunately we have had some damage to some school buildings towards the end of Term 1 and during the school holidays – primarily at Jilinga. If anyone in our community saw anything suspicious, please contact the office and let us know.
Walkathon The Parents and Friends major fundraiser for the year is scheduled for next week, Wednesday 24 April. We will start at approximately 9:35am. A huge amount of work has gone into this, and we are grateful for the work that the P&F and Walkathon committee has done – thank you! We still require a few volunteers to help out. Even an hour or two would be enough!
Parents and Friends If you have not done so already, please read the final Viewbank Voice of Term 1 regarding our search for P&F office bearers https://new.express.adobe.com/webpage/v2mGbQIdefFXU. There are more than a few events in Terms 3 and 4 that may not go ahead without these positions being filled. Please contact the school if you are interested in taking on one of these very important roles.
Anzac Commemoration We will be having our annual Anzac Commemoration on Wednesday 24 April at 9am in the gym. All are welcome to attend.
Student Free Days We have two student free days coming up in quick succession next week. There is no school on Thursday 25 April as it is Anzac Day. We also have a student free day on Friday 26 April as the staff are involved in professional development activities relating to Disability Inclusion. TheirCare will be offering their services on Friday to those who require it, please contact them through the normal channels.
Foundation 2025 Information Evening This event is scheduled for Thursday 02 May at 6.30pm in the school gym. Please feel free to share this information with anyone you know that is interested in enrolling their children at our school.
Have a great weekend!
Patrick
LOST PROPERTY We would like to remind you to check lost property if your child has misplaced any items on our school premises. We have collected several items over the past few weeks, including uniform, water bottles, toys and lunch boxes.
Lost Property is located between the second-hand uniform shop and music room. We recommend labelling all your children’s personal items. Thank you for your cooperation.
STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE & AMBULANCE COVER ARRANGEMENTS Parents/carers are reminded that the Department does not provide personal accident insurance or ambulance cover for students. Parents/carers of students, who do not have student accident insurance, are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including the cost of ambulance attendance or transport as well as any other transport costs. Parents/carers can purchase insurance policies from commercial insurers.
VALUABLES & PROPERTY Personal property brought to school by students, staff or visitors is not insured and the Department of Education does not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage. The Department does not hold insurance for personal property brought to schools and it has no capacity to pay for any loss or damage to such property. This can include mobile phones, calculators, toys, and sporting equipment. Please note that neither the school nor the Department hold insurance for personal property brought to schools and will generally not pay for any loss or damage to such property. We request the support of parents/carers in ensuring students are discouraged from bringing any unnecessary or particularly valuables items to school.
FIRST AID AND MEDICAL CONSENT The Department no longer seeks parent consent to administer first aid or receive medical attention. This Department update has been made because schools have a duty of care to provide appropriate and reasonable first aid to students and to take action in emergency situations. Additionally, parents cannot delegate decision-making authority, including consent for medical treatment. Where a student requires medical attention, the medical professional administering treatment would either speak to the parent or provide treatment without consent.
2024 ANZAC APPEAL BADGES ANZAC Appeal badges are currently on sale at the school's general office, priced between $2 and $10.
CAMPS, SPORTS AND EXCURSIONS FUND (CSEF) The Government assisted Fund provides payments for eligible students to attend camps, sports, incursions and excursions ($150 per child). Applications for the Governments ‘CSEF Fund’ can be accessed by filling in the application form and returning it to the office with a copy of your current Health Care Card. Families holding a valid means-tested concession card or temporary foster parents are eligible to apply) i.e. a Centrelink Health Care Card or Pension Concession Card or Veteran Affairs Gold Card.
If you applied for the CSEF at your child's school in 2023, you do not need to complete an application form in 2024 unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.
You only need to complete an application form if any of the following changes have occurred:
- new student enrolments; your child has started or changed schools in 2024 or you did not apply in 2023.
- changed family circumstances; such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing at the school in 2024.
- Funds are paid to the school and will be automatically allocated to the Extra-Curricular Items and Activities unless otherwise stated by the parent at the start of the year.
Kind regards,
Lucy Addati
We were straight back into the garden and kitchen this week.
In the garden we tidied up, had a small harvest and started edging outside of our main garden. Our garden signs also went up.
In the kitchen we cooked:
- Fried Rice
- Vegetable Gyoza
- Chang Noodle Salad
- Banana Pancakes
One of our major Fundraisers for 2024 is our Walkathon. On, Wednesday 24th April all Viewbank Primary School students will take part in this annual event completing laps through and around the perimeter of the school. Each lap is approx. 675 metres in length.
The students will walk at the following times:
- Foundation 2:50 – 3:20pm
- Grade 1 & 2 2:00 – 2:40pm
- Grade 5 & 6 11:20 – 12:20pm
- Grade 3 & 4 9:35 – 10:25am
We ask you to sponsor our students, and to seek sponsorship from family, friends, neighbours and workmates. This can be done as a lump sum for participating or a nominated amount per lap. Of course, the children will get great benefit from taking part in the walk!! All money raised will be going towards our major fundraising school upgrade project.
All students will be rewarded with an icy pole back at school after the completion of the walk (Please advise your class teacher if you do not wish for your child to receive one).
All students will be provided with a wrist band for the walk, and these will be hole punched at the conclusion of each lap. Once the walk is over the children will bring their cards home and collection of monies can then be organised.
Sponsorship monies can be paid via Compass (Course Confirmation and Payments) or returned to school by Friday, May 3. Thank you if you have already made a payment. If payment is made via Compass you are not required to return any forms to the school.
As always, we could not hold an activity such as this without the support of our parents and friends, both financially and on the day. If you can assist during the day by walking with the children, acting as a course marshall, hole punching cards after each lap, or simply cheering on our students we would be very grateful for your assistance. All volunteers must have completed a Child Safety Standards Induction Checklist and presented to the school in advance, a current Working With Children Check, or approved exemption (e.g. VIT card, police badge etc).
Please register to volunteer here https://volunteersignup.org/CYTQ8
Please support this major fundraiser, as it is the only one of its kind in 2024, and we do rely on fundraising to support school upgrades and equipment, which in turn support your child’s education.
Lower Plenty Bakehouse provide the school with fundraising Lunch Orders every Thursday. These lunches have been implemented via our Parents and Friends Committee. All money raised will be used towards our major school upgrad
Our Term 2 Fundraising Lunch Order Dates are:
- Thursday 2nd May (Orders closing on Monday 29th April, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 9th May (Orders closing on Monday 6th May, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 16th May (Orders closing on Monday 13th May, 3:00pm) - Year 4 Camp
- Thursday 23rd May (Orders closing on Monday 20th May, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 30th May (Orders closing on Monday 27th May, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 6th June (Orders closing on Monday 3rd June, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 13th June (Orders closing on Monday 10th June, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 20th June (Orders closing on Monday 17th June, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 27th June (Orders closing on Monday 24th June, 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 2 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.
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.
Entertainment Book 20% of the membership goes directly to support our fundraising at Viewbank Primary School. https://www.entertainment.com.au/current-promotion
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 $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 - MR CAI
- Email: cai66@optusnet.com.au
- Phone: 0403 490 078
GUITAR/BASS GUITAR - Alec
- Email: alec.stalder@gmail.com
PIANO/KEYBOARD/DRUMS - Daniel Tucceri
- Email: info@banyulemusicandtutoring.com
- Phone: 0405 667 908
Our school has partnered with an independent provider called TheirCare to provide exceptional Outside School Hours Care services for our school community.
The program is available for all children at Viewbank Primary School from 6:30am until 9:00am in the morning and from 3:30pm until 6:15pm each school day.
During School Holidays & Pupil Free Days the service will operate from 6:30am until 6:15pm.
Families wishing to use this service can visit the TheirCare website: www.theircare.com.au
Families are eligible for a Government Rebate called the Child Care Subsidy which can reduce the cost per session by up to 85%.
More information can be obtained by contacting the school or ringing TheirCare Support Team on 1300 072 410.
TheirCare provides a stimulating and safe environment for all children. During sessions, children develop life-skills, friendships, confidence and creativity through play-based programs.
A PLUS SCHOOLWEAR
Shop Details:
- Unit 3/30 Heaths Court, Mill Park
- T: 9436 4005
- E: info@northernregionaluniforms.com.au
Opening Hours:
- Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm
- Friday 9am to 3pm
- Saturday 9am to 12pm
Online Ordering Please Visit: www.aplusschoolwear.com.au