PUPIL FREE DAYS 2024
- 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 5 Camp to Bacchus Marsh October 9 to 11
GREETINGS FROM REHAB LAND I just wanted to take this opportunity to say hello and touch base! Thank you to those who have reached out and enquired how I have been getting on! Have been following all the happenings at school – it’s certainly been a busy start to the term, but the school has been in more than capable hands and grateful thanks to Patrick, Gill, Lucy and the rest of the team for making the school run so smoothly. Camps, open days, info nights etc – I certainly timed my hip operation well! Whilst not quite a hipster, I can report that my surgery and recovery have both gone really well. I’ve lost my limp (thankfully) and will continue to follow doctor’s and physio’s orders to ensure I’m back on deck sometime in the week after the King’s Birthday Monday. After all, there’s only so many books to read, Netflix shows to watch and footy matches to process (not happy about missing the footy clinic, though). Looking forward to being back on deck!
Kind regards,
Bill Kersing
OPEN DAY We had a fantastic Open Day on Tuesday. Approximately 20 families came through, led by some of our amazing student leaders. Unfortunately, not all leaders had an opportunity, but we will try and give them a go on Saturday morning (Open Day part 2!) or at another time.
SCHOOL COUNCIL Tuesday was also our School Council Meeting. School Council Meetings generally happen on the second Tuesday of every school term month (minimum of 8 per year). Information regarding School Councils and School Council meetings can be found here: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/school-council-meetings/policy
Of note at this meeting was a discussion about a number of recent security concerns at Jilinga (some low-level vandalism and a break in), and also potentially along Nevin Parade with the Administration Building wall now being a boundary fence.
I contacted the Department’s Security Unit in February this year to discuss potential issues and options. After a few emails back and forth, we have been granted permission to install some CCTV cameras, providing we abide by all guidelines and advice in the Department of Education’s ‘CCTV in Schools – Installation and Management Policy’, found here: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/cctv-in-schools/policy. I strongly encourage you read this policy and be aware of the school’s obligations.
The first part of this process was to consult with School Council. School Council has approved the school to proceed further with this. Staff have been informed of School Council’s decision and we will keep you updated as we progress.
YEAR 4 CAMP By all accounts, the Year 4 students, and parents and staff are having a fantastic time at Anglesea. We hope you enjoy some of the photos!
WORKING BEE SUNDAY 19 MAY AT 9AM Please see further down in the Viewbank Voice for information regarding our Working Bee this Sunday 19 May, 9am – 1pm Morning Tea and a Sausage sizzle available! Come when you can, leave when you need to!
DISTRICT CROSS COUNTRY Good luck to our student representatives at the District Cross Country next week. We hope you do your best out on the course and be your best when waiting before or after your race!
2025 ENROLMENTS We are asking all families with sibling enrolments for 2025 to submit their enrolment forms as soon as possible. No enrolments were taken until the start of Term 2, and then only ‘in-zone’ enrolments are confirmed. Those out of zone can submit an application by the end of July and can only be confirmed thereafter if the school has capacity. Our site limit is 675, and we have capacity for 80-90 Foundation students in 2025. Please get your enrolment forms in as soon as possible, to give us some certainty on any potential out of zone enrolments for next year.
Have a great weekend!
Patrick
Further School Policies for Review A range of operational, curriculum and health and wellbeing policies are available on our school website, providing detailed information about how the policy topic is implemented at our school. All policies are reviewed and updated on a cyclical basis.
We are currently in the process of reviewing a number of our policies and we are inviting community consultation. Please take the time to read any or all of the policies below and if you have any feedback or comments please email Gill Nicholls (gillian.nicholls@education.vic.gov.au ) by Friday 31 May.
All our policies are developed using the Department templates and are tailored to our school setting.
Following the consultation period, the policies will be finalised and endorsed and then updated on our school website.
This week
Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations Policy and Procedures
In last week’s newsletter
Thank You to our Education Support Staff This month we would like to recognise and thank our Education Support Staff (ESS), who are an essential part of our Viewbank Primary School community. Education Support Day is officially the 16th May and allows us to honour and recognise the extraordinary contribution Education Support Staff make to public education. We will be celebrating our amazing ESS team with a morning tea on Wednesday 29th May.
Please join with us to celebrate and thank Lucy, Sue, Georgeina, Louise, Fiona, Thelma, Sarina, Bree, Kelli, Melissa, Kirtley, Jodi, Carmen, Chris and Trev for their extraordinary contributions, hard work and dedication they bring every day! These talented people help to keep our school running smoothly and everything on track. They look after the school finances, business operations, enrolments, administration, the health and welfare of everyone, they support our students to learn and our teachers to teach, they provide additional programs and look after our school grounds.
Our ES staff are essential in educating the ‘whole student’ – their contributions ensure that our school is a welcoming and safe environment where students’ academic, health, socio-emotional and practical needs are met, fostering equitable and inclusive education.
Our school simply could not function without you. Your contributions are truly appreciated.
The Smile Squad team from Banyule Community Health are coming to our school soon.
Smile Squad is the Victorian Government free school dental program.
This means ALL students can get a free dental check-up, preventive services, and treatment at school.
How to access free dental care
We need your consent before we can provide services. Consent is usually provided by a parent or guardian.
Please complete and submit the consent form by 27/05/2024.
Paper copies of the consent form are available. Please contact the school office if you would like to request one.
The electronic consent form can be translated into more than 100 languages, and the paper form is currently available in 13 languages.
Have a great week,
Gill
TheirCare (Outside of School Hours Care) Please be aware that if your child is not registered with TheirCare they will be unable to access the program in an emergency. Therefore, it is highly recommend that you register your child/ren with TheirCare in case you may need it one day as child/ren cannot be supervised by staff beyond 3.45pm.
SCHOOL TOURS We will be running school tours on a Tue, Wed, Thu at 9.30am for prospective families. Please call the office to make a booking.
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
This week the grade 3's had make up sessions for both garden and kitchen.
In garden we harvested for kitchen session, watered, weeded and planted cuttings, onion seedlings and seeds which will be looked after in their classrooms until they become seedlings. 3B harvested a watermelon that we grew over the summer period. Seeds from the watermelon will be dried and saved to be planted mid term 4.
In the kitchen we made;
- Mie Goreng
- Asian Coleslaw
- Roti
- Deconstructed Apple Crumble
This week in the garden the grade 4's engaged in; watering, weeding, planting of cuttings, preparing an area and relocating of some recycled lockers and harvesting of our pumpkins. The students put their mathematical skills to work weighing and measuring in multiple different ways. They wrote these on the skin of the pumpkins.
In the kitchen 4B cooked;
- Pumpkin burgers
- Patatas Bravas
- Coleslaw
- Wheat Tortillas
There will be a make up class later this term for the rest of the year level.
Year 2 excursion to Melbourne Museum
Origami For Sale
Hello parents and students,
Some Year 5 students (the Manilla Folders), have been working on a weekly fundraiser for this term, an origami sale. We will be selling things like paper cranes, claws and chatterboxes, and prices will be ranging from 20¢ to $5. All funds raised will be going towards new plants for the school. We have been working hard on this fundraiser and we would love your contribution! We will be closing at the end of this term, so we’d encourage you to buy one of our creations as soon as you can.
Yours sincerely,
The Manilla Folders
Year 6 Camp recount Last week the year 6’s went to Coonawarra farm resort for their year 6 camp! Monday afternoon they arrived ready for an eventful exciting experience, they stayed a total of 3 days and 2 nights.
Some of the activities they participated in were:
- Giant swing
- Flying fox
- Archery
- Canoeing
- Hut building
- High ropes
And climbing wall, with Zach having the fastest time to get up to the top with a total of 20.78 seconds.
Here are the experiences of some students throughout the 5 classes in grade 6.
Mia Groves enjoyed the flying fox as her favourite activity from camp. Mia’s favourite meal was sticky date pudding we had for dessert night one. Her late-night activity she enjoyed the most was the trivia.
Luke Cullen enjoyed the high ropes as his favourite activity, he said he had the best time on the high ropes swinging and having fun. His favourite food we had on camp was the hash browns and toast we had for breakfast. His favourite late-night activity was also the trivia.
Ava Duncan enjoyed the giant swing as her favourite activity at camp racing her friends down the zip line! Her favourite meal was the tacos we had night two for dinner. The late-night activity she enjoyed the most was the movie they watched night one.
Raymond Sun enjoyed canoeing the most with him even capsizing in the water! His favourite meal was the burrito bowl. For the late night activity he enjoyed the most it was, trivia night with his team coming 3rd overall!
And lastly, we have Tiana Paul! Tiana's favourite activity that she enjoyed the most was the climbing wall. Her favourite meal at camp was the beef tacos. Her favourite late-night activity was the movie night which she watched on the 2nd night.
Altogether, the year 6’s all enjoyed camp. They had so much fun participating in the activities, they enjoyed all the yummy food and they loved all the late night activities. Thank you, Ms Groves for your organisation and Coonawarra camp for having us there. We had so much fun!
Hello Viewbank Community,
Just a reminder, we are officially holding a house chant competition! Any student in the school can enter the competition.
If you don’t know what a chant is, it is a shouted chorus by a crowd that is supporting a team. Here is an example from Mooroolbark College
The chants will be used as a way to cheer on your house and encourage team mates during athletics day or other sporting events, but remember, you can only write chants for your own house. For example someone in Yarra house can’t write a chant for Plenty house.
We can't wait to see all the chants! It will be due on the last day of May.
Please return your chant entry to the 6B classroom located in the year 5 foyer.
Thank you,
Year 6 House Captains
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 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.
.
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