PLEASE CHECK COMPASS EVENTS REGULARLY
- Tuesday 12th December - Statewide Transition Day
- Wednesday 13th December - Grade 6 Graduation
2023 TERM DATES
- Term 4: 2nd October - 20th December (1:30pm finish)
2024 TERM DATES
- TERM 1: 29th January - 28th March (students start 30 January)
- 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
STAFFING PROFILE 2024 I am now in the position of being able to announce the staffing structure for 2024 as follows:-
Foundation
- Amanda Elliott (Team Leader)
- Bessie Grant (Transition Coordinator)
- Kirsten Yates
- Renee Deeth
Grade 1
- Suzie Doumas (Team Leader)
- Ashleigh Walker
- Kesley Mentiplay 0.6/Jackie Rielly (0.4)
Grade 1/2
- Jane McLeod
Grade 2
- Kim Moucha (Team Leader)
- Annabell Dransfield
- Nicola Triantafillas
Grade 3
- Kylie Kirkwood (Team Leader)
- Phillip Byrne (Learning Specialist)
- Karina Russell
- Sarah McDonald
Grade 4
- Claire Kielty (Team Leader)
- Sophie Noakes
- Jamie Ruddock (Learning Specialist)
- Michael Betson
Grade 5
- Narelle Taylor (Team Leader)
- Kara Lane
- Zoe Birse
Grade 5/6
- Sandy Farley (Learning Specialist)
- Rhys Tegg
Grade 6
- Sharon Groves (Team Leader)
- Bonnie Boness
- Darren Peters
Principal
- Bill Kersing
Assistant Principals
- Gillian Nicholls
- Patrick Walsh
Business Manager
- Lucy Addati
General Office
- Sue Wright
- Georgeina Fisher
First Aid
- Fiona Crowe
Education Support
- Louise Buissink
- Sarina Sherlock
- Thelma Rigoni
- Kellie Walker
- Melissa Enticott
- Kirtley Searies
- Bree Buszard
- Jodi Lanyon
Educational Psychologist
- Carmen Tran 0.4
Defence School Mentor
- Georgeina Fisher
Disability Inclusion Coordinator
- Angela Roccasalva
Additional Support
- Judy Course
- Emma Sargeant
- Marina Gourzelas
- Bec Andrew
- Sally Stepowski (until early March)
EAL
- Andrea Cleeve
Art
- Jen Hall
- Lisa Briglia
Music
- Renee Davey
- Meredith Kearney
PE
- Lucas Prell
- Kori Stuckey
Auslan
- Ellen Maxwell-Lopez
- Emma Sargeant
STEM
- Nat Carr
- Pete Walker
The more observant readers will note a few things in the list above. Sally Stepowski will be leaving us in early March when the birth of her second child will be imminent. Carmen Tran is our newly appointed Educational Psychologist who will be replacing Heather Gulliford for a good part of 2024. We welcome back Jane McLeod who will be teaching Grade 1/2M in 2024 and Kelsey Mentiplay and Jackie Rielly are returning to our school from Family Leave and will be sharing a Grade 1 class next year. We also welcome back Jen Hall into the Art room after 6 months leave. All in all, not too many changes and we are one of the fortunate schools in the system just now where we haven’t had staffing difficulties to deal with.
FOUNDATION 2024 TRANSITION SESSION #2 Our 87 Foundation students for 2024 had their final transition session yesterday. These sessions have been an important part of a successful start to their school journey in 2024 for our Foundation students as they have become more familiar with our school, their classmates and their teachers.
GRADE 6 GRADUATION That most important ceremony of the school year is now, unbelievably, less than 2 weeks away. Our grade 6 graduates will be celebrating with classmates, teachers and family at school on Wednesday, December 13 from 4.30pm. We hope you are able to make it.
BUILDING WORKS Less than 3 weeks now! Landscaping has been taking place around the new building these last few weeks, and paths to the Grade 3 and 4 classrooms, crossovers on Toumlin Grove and at the northern end of Nevin parade and final fit offs in the new administration building are next. The ‘old’ administration building has been demolished, although this area will remain fenced off until the end of February next year when, hopefully, new artificial turf will have been laid. I’m sure you will agree that this will be a significant enhancement to our grounds and lend itself to a very open ‘feel’ as well as a lovely play space.
HOUSE CAPTAINS 2024 It gives me great pleasure to announce the appointment of our school house captains for 2024:-
- Darebin – Harvey Woo and April Grant
- Diamond – Darragh Finn and Stella Coetzee
- Yarra – Johan In and Naomi Carnovale
- Plenty – Orlando Cummaudo and Pierra La Rosa
Like other captains, a special badge presentation will take place at an assembly to be arranged for early 2024 and hopefully with a guest presenter. Watch this space!
I hope everyone has a lovely weekend. Christmas shopping top of the list?
Kind regards,
Bill Kersing
Principal
From January 2024, Viewbank will introduce Disability Inclusion, a new approach to help us improve support for students with disability and build a more inclusive school for all our students. Inclusive schools have better outcomes in learning, engagement and wellbeing for all students.
The information below will hopefully answer some of the questions you may have regarding Disability Inclusion.
Now that Disability Inclusion has started at our school, what do I need to do?
Our school has three years to complete a Disability Inclusion Profile for students who receive Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD) funding to support their education.
If your child is part of the PSD, we will work with you to find the most suitable time to complete a Disability Inclusion Profile.
The profile will also be available to a broad group of students with high needs.
We will also identify students who are not currently part of the PSD, who may benefit from a Disability Inclusion Profile.
If we consider that your child’s education will benefit by having a profile, we will contact you.
What is a Disability Inclusion Profile?
The Disability Inclusion Profile is a written description of a student’s educational strengths and needs. The profile will be completed at a Student Support Group meeting with people who know the student.
The profile will help determine personalised support and help our school plan for students and make any changes that may help them learn. The Disability Inclusion Profile process will replace the Educational Needs Questionnaire that is a part of the current PSD.
Parents and carers will be asked to provide their consent for a profile to be completed for their child.
What is a Student Support Group meeting?
Some children with disability and their families already participate in Student Support Group meetings. Student Support Groups help children with disability to get the right support at school.
A dedicated Student Support Group meeting will be held to complete the Disability Inclusion Profile for students that require one.
This meeting will run for around 90 minutes. It brings together the people who know most about the student and their learning.
The Department of Education has engaged independent, trained facilitators to help our school, and the families of our students, complete the profile during a meeting.
At the meeting, the group will be asked to talk about the student’s strengths, goals and any changes that may allow them to learn on the same basis as other students.
This includes agreeing about what level of changes are needed for each school-related activity.
Everyone is encouraged to share ideas in the meeting, understand one another’s point of view and share responsibility.
Following the profile meeting, the Student Support Group will continue to meet regularly to monitor your child’s progress against their goals.
Who will be at the Student Support Group meeting?
An independent facilitator will run the meeting. The meeting can include the following people:
- the child
- their parents/carers
- teacher and principal
- an interpreter if needed
- other people who work with the child, such as kindergarten teacher/s and/or other early childhood professionals, an NDIS worker, allied health/social worker or medical professional, therapist, psychologists or similar, or education support staff, can also attend if agreed by the school and the parent/carer.
If you think your child would benefit from having someone else attend the meeting, please talk to your child’s teacher or our Disability Inclusion Coordinator, Angela Roccasalva.
Can my child attend the meeting?
Yes. It is important that your child is involved in the profile meeting and is included when decisions are being made about their learning. Your child can attend in person or provide information to a trusted adult to discuss on their behalf.
Our school will work with students and their families to determine how to include them in the profile process.
Your child can express their views in the meeting, or contribute by providing photos, video and audio recordings, drawings and other methods.
There are resources on the Department’s website to support your child to be in the profile meeting. Visit Disability Inclusion Profile: Resources | education.vic.gov.au.
How do my child and I prepare for a profile meeting?
A parent/carer may want to spend time before the profile meeting thinking about their child’s strengths, goals, and functional needs (what they need to help them learn at school).
There is a tool on the Department’s website to help you with this. Visit Disability Inclusion Profile: Resources | education.vic.gov.au.
If you would like to prepare for the meeting, the school can also provide you with some questions to answer in advance. It will give you an idea of the sort of questions that will be asked in the meeting and allow time for you and your child to think about it.
What wellbeing support will my child receive?
Your child’s teacher will be aware of the profile meeting and will support your child in advance.
Some tips to help you support your child are:
- tell them about the meeting and what it is for, who will be there, etc.
- talk positively with them about how the meeting aims to help the school better meet their needs and help them learn
- encourage your child to participate in the meeting, talk about their strengths and needs
- if you have concerns about your child’s mental health, start by talking to your child’s school. They can help you access a range of supports offered by the Department. It is also worth speaking to your family General Practitioner (GP) about your child’s mental health.
What is the parent/carer’s role in the meeting?
At the meeting, parent/carer(s) will be responsible for:
- sharing information about their child’s goals, learning, participation, social engagement and experiences at home that are relevant to the way they learn
- sharing information about what has helped their child learn in the past
- supporting their child or providing their child’s voice if they do not attend the meeting.
Parents are also responsible for nominating a support person or advocate, if required.
Will my child get individualised funding?
Schools must make reasonable adjustments to ensure students with disability can access and participate in education on the same basis as other students.
Completing a Disability Inclusion Profile does not guarantee that a school will receive individual funding to support a particular student. Individual funding is based on a student’s needs and their school setting.
Disability Inclusion has introduced an additional type of funding for schools. This allows the school to make better adjustments to all students with disability. Schools can use this funding to hire teachers or other staff to help plan and deliver changes for students, purchase equipment and resources to support learning, provide professional learning for staff and get expert advice.
These adjustments may support students across the whole school or address a student’s specific needs.
Even if our school does not receive individual funding to support your child through the profile process, completing a profile is a valuable way to understand your child’s needs and aspirations, and how they will be supported to learn at school.
Can I see my child’s profile?
Yes. You will be provided with a profile report in the weeks following the meeting. This report will have information about your child’s:
- current strengths
- aspirations
- functional needs
- adjustments to the learning environment.
The report does not include details of funding provided to the school to support your child.
Details about the adjustments your child needs are also in their Individual Education Plan. The Student Support Group will also regularly monitor how your child responds to adjustments and whether they are being implemented as intended.
What happens if I’m not happy with the outcome of the profile meeting?
You will have the opportunity to discuss your child’s profile report at a Student Support Group meeting.
If you have concerns about the adjustments being made for your child, you should discuss this with your child’s teacher and/or the school principal.
There is also an appeals process. You can read more about this from the Department’s website.
How often will my child need to have their profile reviewed?
Your child’s profile report will recommend when the profile should be reviewed and how often Student Support Group meetings should happen. A school representative/staff member will contact you when it is time to create or review your child’s profile.
It is anticipated that a student will complete 2-3 profiles across their school career.
My child does not have a diagnosed disability and hasn’t received support in the past, will they be part of this new process?
We will identify students who are not part of the current PSD but may benefit from a Disability Inclusion Profile. We will contact you if we think your child will benefit from a profile.
Other students will receive support in other ways. Disability Inclusion has introduced a new, additional type of funding for schools. This allows the school to make better adjustments to all students with disability.
If you have concerns about your child’s learning, please speak to your child’s teacher. Our school will determine the next steps that are needed to support your child to learn.
Have a great week.
Gill
Early Arrivers As the term has progressed, we have seen a steady increase in the number of students arriving early and left to their own devices in the yard – well before any other students have arrived. This is a reminder that staff supervision does not begin until 8:50am before school. After school, supervision is from 3:30pm until 3:40pm.
Planning Week – Week 11 (11 December to 15 December) With the 2024 class structure announced by Mr Kersing in his piece above, our 2024 Teams will be meeting to plan for 2024. So that you are aware, the Planning Week timetable is as follows:
Classes will be covered by our Specialist and Support staff throughout the week. Our 2024 Specialist and Additional Support staff will have their planning time during the week.
It is hard to believe, but once Planning Week is completed, there are only 3 days of Term 4, 2023 left!
Have a great weekend!
Patrick
The office has relocated to the gym foyer/STEM room.
2024 PARENT PAYMENTS Viewbank Primary School is looking forward to another great year of teaching and learning and would like to advise you of Viewbank Primary School’s Parent Payment Arrangements for 2024.
We continue to value and thank you for your financial contributions in supporting our school’s programs and resources. These contributions assist us to broaden the educational experience for our students.
All classroom supplies will be provided directly to the classrooms in bulk. Teachers will distribute stationery and other supplies to the students as required.
Payments can only be made on Compass from Monday the 22nd of January 2024.
Further detailed information about Parent Payments can be found on Compass and our website.
Kind regards,
Lucy Addati
Lower Plenty Bakehouse will be providing 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 upgrade.
Our Term 4 Fundraising Lunch Order Dates are:
- Thursday 7th December (Orders closing on 4th December, 3:00pm)
- Thursday 14th December (Orders closing on 11th December, 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 4 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.
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 – Tiaryn Griggs
- Email: tiaryngriggs@gmail.com
PIANO/KEYBOARD/DRUMS - Daniel Tucceri
- Email: info@banyulemusicandtutoring.com
- Phone: 0405 667 907
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