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
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
SCHOOL CAPTAINS 2024 It gives me great pleasure to announce that the following students have been selected as School Captains for 2024:-
- Girls Captain – Heidi DRANSFIELD
- Girls Vice Captain – Abbey LIDYARD
- Boys Captain – Jeremy SELETTO
- Boys Vice Captain – Harrison KENT
It was a genuinely difficult decision to choose these very worthy students, simply because we were very much spoilt for choice! The unsuccessful applicants now have opportunity to nominate for a range of other leadership positions which will be determined in upcoming weeks. Our school captains were announced at Assembly on Monday, with badge presentations to take place in the near future. Once again we hope our local member of parliament, Anthony Carbines, will be available to make these presentations. Congratulations again to our captains – we are certain they will lead with passion and commitment and be excellent role models for all other students in the school.
FOUNDATION 2024 TRANSITION PROGRAM The first session of our Kinder-Foundation program took place last week with our 88 newly enrolled students meeting their new teachers in their 2024 classrooms. The team comprises Amanda Elliott (Team Leader), Bessie Grant (Transition Coordinator), Renee Deeth and Kirsten Yates. The remainder of our staffing profile for 2024 will be announced officially in next week’s newsletter. Whilst on the subject of transition, the rest of the students in our school will have their own transition morning on Tuesday, December 12, with Grade 6 students venturing off to their secondary schools and the Grade Foundation to 5 students ‘stepping up’ to meet their 2024 teachers in their 2024 classrooms along with their new classmates.
GRADE SELECTION Which leads me to discussing grade selection. This somewhat lengthy process has commenced with teachers allocating students into classes for next year. We attempt to merge teacher judgements with parental requests whilst aiming for a balance of gender, academic ability and friendship wishes. It is important to reiterate that parental requests are simply that - requests. We consider each request on merit, but please remember that it is not always possible to meet these. Student grade placements will be announced on Tuesday, December 12, and Semester 2 reports will be available on Compass from Friday, December 15.
UPCOMING EVENTS We are definitely entering that remarkably busy time of the year as life seems to gather momentum for Christmas. I can list water safety programs, Graduation, end of term excursions, report writing, school Council break ups, singing and string concerts and transition events as just some of the things that will keep us busy over the less than four weeks to go. Not to mention the building program finishing up, which will be something of a highlight as well as a relief. Once again, I commend everyone for helping us manage the inconvenience of the building program so well. Please commit to checking Compass, the newsletter and the website frequently over these last few weeks as we all know that school events are just part of our busy lives as we manage Christmas shopping, catch ups with friends and more.
Have a lovely weekend.
Kind regards,
Bill Kersing
Principal
From January, 2024 our school will begin introducing some changes to help us strengthen support for students with disability.
Disability Inclusion will help our school better understand what our students need to help them learn and participate at school. It involves:
- a new Disability Inclusion Profile and school funding model to strengthen support for students with disability
- more resources, training and coaching for our teachers and school staff about the best ways to support students with disability.
From January 2024, the Disability Inclusion Profile will be available to help us identify the strengths, needs, and educational adjustments we can make to assist students with disability and additional learning needs.
The Disability Inclusion Profile replaces the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD) application process.
Over the coming years, we will invite families of students who are currently part of the PSD, and other students with disability and additional learning needs, to participate in a meeting to complete a Disability Inclusion Profile.
We will use new school funding and supports for more training and professional development for teachers and school staff, expert advice about disability, teachers and other staff to help plan and deliver changes for students, and resources to support learning.
The new Disability Inclusion approach ensures our school is better able to support students with disability and additional learning needs.
Viewbank is excited to be part of Disability Inclusion and we look forward to continuing to support our students to learn and thrive.
If you have any questions about your child’s learning or Disability Inclusion, please contact your child’s classroom teacher or Gill Nicholls.
Free Caregiver Triple P Fear Less Parenting Seminar – managing children’s anxiety.
- Date: Monday 11th December 2023
- Location: Online via zoom
- Time: 7.30pm – 9.30pm
Click here to see a flier detailing information for an online session for parents.
This free, online program focusing on child anxiety is for carers who would like to learn strategies they can put in place to support the wellbeing of children and the family.
The seminar topics covered include:
- Understanding how anxiety works,
- Role modelling effective ways of managing anxiety.
- Becoming effective emotion coaches,
- Understanding and teaching the value of flexible thinking,
- Using constructive coping
- Examples of what anxiety can look like
How to book:
Email your name and phone number to: triplepkinship@berrystreet.org.au
Alternatively, call (03) 9450 4700 and request to speak with Triple P Kinship.
Enrolments will be accepted until Thursday 7th December 2023.
Enjoy your week,
Gill
Parents and Friends (P&F) We had our final P&F meeting for 2023 on Tuesday evening. The 2023 P&F have been extremely busy this year, raising approximately $60,000. All events this year have required planning, organisation, and time. The school is very grateful for the work done by the ‘official’ P&F committee as well as everyone in our community who supported individual events, whether that was supervising at the disco, selling icy poles, turning a sausage or 2 (or 2000!) on the BBQ or coming along to our Trivia Night.
A special thanks to Kate (President), Jacqui (Secretary) and Narelle (Treasurer) for taking on the official positions.
For all our helpers across the school in 2023 whether that is at a P&F event, a Buildings and Grounds event or directly with classrooms, please don’t forget we have a Parent Helpers Morning Tea on Wednesday 6th December at 10:30am. There is more information about this further down in this Newsletter.
2024 National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) This is just a heads up to our current families with a child in Year 2 and in Year 4, the 2024 NAPLAN dates are 13th – 25th March (these are the same for Year 7 and Year 9 NAPLAN). We will be attempting to have all tests completed by Friday 22nd March leaving Monday 25th for final catch ups.
All things 2024 NAPLAN can be found here: https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan
Infographic from: https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/key-dates
For those who really like to plan ahead, NAPLAN dates to 2027 are also available in the link to the infographic!
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
Book Club The closing date for Book Club Issue 8 is next Wednesday 28th November. No orders can be accepted after this date as Scholastic will be unable to deliver the order before the end of the school year.
A very big thank you to everyone that came to support the Book Fair last week. All the commission earned will be used to buy new resources for our Library.
Year 3's in the kitchen.
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 30th November (Orders closing on 27th November, 3:00pm)
- 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