Viewbank Voice 08.05.2025 Term 2 2025, Week 3

2025 TERM DATES

• TERM 2: 22 April - 4 July
• TERM 3: 21 July - 19 September
• TERM 4: 6 October - 19 December

2025 CAMP DATES

• Year 3 Phillip Island Camp - 27 October - 29 October
• Year 4 Anglesea Camp - 14 May to 16 May
• Year 5 Lady Northcote Camp - 08 October to 10 October
• Year 6 Urban Camp - 15 September to 17 September

SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY It was great weather for running on Tuesday morning as the school cross country took place at Price Park. Many thanks to Darren Peters and his team for planning and implementing this year’s event and to all volunteers who helped make the morning a success. As mentioned last week the event serves as the team selection for the District Cross Country to be held at Banyule Flats on May 20. Everyone who competed on the day was a winner but special congratulations to the placegetters, pictures of whom feature in this newsletter.

OPEN DAY To celebrate Education Week, the school will be ‘open’ for visitors throughout the day on Tuesday, May 13. Current families are invited to visit during the day to see your children at work. ‘New’ families will be taken on a guided tour around the school by our student leaders. We hope you might be able to make it at some time during the day.

WORKING BEE AND OPEN MORNING Our Grounds Group met last Monday night in order to plan for our next scheduled working bee to be held on Saturday morning, May 17. As always there are a range of activities and minor projects to be completed and we would genuinely love to see you in attendance even if just for an hour. As the morning coincides with an open morning for those who couldn’t make it on the Tuesday, we’d love to think the school will be abuzz with activity so please if at all possible make your way down to the school from 9am.

SCHOOL COUNCIL The May meeting of School Council is scheduled for 7pm on Tuesday, May 13. All agendas and reports will be emailed by the end of this week to school council members.

GRADE 4 ANGLESEA CAMP The first of our school camps for 2025 takes place next week with the Grade 4s and their teachers (and volunteer parents) heading down to the Bellarine Peninsula for three fun filled days from Wednesday, May 14. Our association with the YMCA camp down there is more than 20 years and the venue is always well prepared and organised with a range of challenging and fun activities, so fingers crossed for good weather. We know the fun is assured.

MOTHER’S DAY The Mother’s Day Stall was held today and many thanks to our Parents and Friends group for once again organising a stall filled with precious gifts for purchase for Mother’s Day. As always, gratefully appreciated.

To all our Mums in the school community, I wish you a wonderful Mother’s Day on Sunday and hope you are truly and deservedly spoiled!

Kind regards,

Bill Kersing

Creating an Environment that Encourages Tolerance in Children Teaching children about tolerance is crucial in an increasingly interconnected and diverse world. Tolerance is the ability to understand and accept differences in others, whether related to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or other characteristics. Developing this crucial skill early on not only promotes harmonious relationships but also lays the foundation for a more inclusive and understanding society. There are many situations and experiences both at school and at home that provide opportunities for children to learn about tolerance.

The following strategies are effective ways to help children develop tolerance and the significance of doing so.

Lead by Example Children learn by observing the behaviour of the adults around them. Parents, caregivers, and educators play a pivotal role in shaping a child’s perspective on diversity. By demonstrating tolerance in your own interactions and expressing positive attitudes toward people from various backgrounds, you set a powerful example for your child. Research shows that children are more likely to develop tolerant attitudes when exposed to consistent positive modelling (Killen, Mulvey, Richardson, Jampol, and Woodward, 2011).

Encourage Open Communication Create an environment where children feel comfortable discussing differences and asking questions. Encourage open and honest communication about diversity, and be ready to provide age-appropriate answers to their queries. Research by Bigler and Liben (2006) suggests that open communication about diversity helps children develop a more nuanced and tolerant understanding of others.

Expose Children to Diversity Providing children with opportunities to interact with individuals from diverse backgrounds can significantly impact their level of tolerance. Exposure to different cultures, traditions, and perspectives can broaden a child’s understanding and appreciation for diversity. A study by Tropp and Prenovost (2008) found that positive intergroup contact can reduce prejudice and increase tolerance.

Incorporate Inclusive Education Ensure that the reading/learning materials and experiences reflect a diverse and inclusive world. Books, toys, and educational activities that feature characters from various backgrounds can help children develop empathy and understanding. The American Academy of Pediatrics (2017) emphasizes the importance of inclusive education in promoting tolerance and reducing bias.

Teach Empathy Empathy is a key component of tolerance. Help children understand and share the feelings of others by teaching them to see the world from different perspectives. The ability to empathize fosters compassion and reduces the likelihood of prejudice.

Information adapted from an article written by Karen Conley, President, CEO and founder of Charity for Change.

A huge thank you to our amazing Parents and Friends group as well as all the volunteers that organised and assisted at the Mother’s Day stall today. There were so many lovely items for the students to choose from. I hope all our Mums and special friends have a wonderful day on Sunday.

Have a great week,

Gill

YEAR 3 TO 6 CAMP PROGRAM Students in Years 3 to 6 have the opportunity to take part in a variety of enjoyable, enriching and educational camps. These are a highly anticipated part of the school year. The experiences that students become involved in whilst on camp promote independence, teamwork, resilience and personal growth, which are key skills supported by the Department of Education’s focus on experiential learning. It is always terrific to see the students engaging in practical, hands on experiences to demonstrate their skills, whilst having fun with their friends at the same time!

Each year level engages in a unique camp experience designed to suit their stage of development. The 2025 Camp Structure is as follows:

• Year 3: A 3-day camp at Phillip Island (27 October - 29 October ), where students enjoy fun and engaging activities in a supportive environment.
• Year 4: A 3-day adventure at Anglesea Recreation Camp (14 May to 16 May), with canoeing, cycling, team building, a giant swing, and crate climb.
• Year 5: A 3-day stay at YMCA Lady Northcote Camp (08 October to 10 October) in Bacchus Marsh, offering outdoor adventure and leadership opportunities.
• Year 6: A 3-day Urban Camp in Melbourne CBD (15 September to 17 September), where students explore city landmarks and enjoy rich cultural and educational experiences.

You may note that this year there has been a change of venue for our Year 6 students, who will experience the Urban Camp. This is to enhance their classroom inquiries.

Involvement in the Year 3-6 Camp Program creates lasting memories, while building upon important life skills. For more information, please speak with your child’s classroom teacher or the general office.

We look forward to another great year of exploration and adventure.

Wishing all of our Year 4 campers well, as they head off to Anglesea next week!

Jamie Ruddock - Acting Assistant Principal

Enrolments For Foundation/Prep 2026 is Now Open Enrolments for the 2026 intake of Foundation/Prep students is now open. In line with the Department of Education’s Placement Policy and timeline, we will contact you in early August to advise the outcome of your child’s Foundation/Prep enrolment application.

School Saving Bonus reminder and allocation to school activities The Victorian Government is delivering the School Saving Bonus (SSB) – a one-off support of $400 for eligible government school students from Prep to Year 12 in 2025.

The SSB can be used for uniforms and textbooks until Monday 30 June 2025.

Any funds remaining after 30 June 2025, including online voucher amounts that have not been redeemed, will become a credit to use on school activities. However, the credit will not be available on your family account at our school until late July.

To use any remaining SSB funds to cover the cost of school activities in July, please refer to the SSB online system and allocate the funds to school activities before 30 June 2025.

To learn more about the SSB online system, download the step-by-step System guide for parents and carers (DOCX, 945KB) or watch this School Saving Bonus video. System guide translations are also available in 14 languages.

The Department of Education’s SSB contact centre will remain available until 30 June 2025. The contact centre can be reached by:

• completing the School Saving Bonus enquiry form
• calling 1800 338 663, between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm on weekdays.

After this date, please contact our administration team for any SSB related questions.

Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) helps eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.

If you have a valid means-tested concession card, or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. Means-tested concession cards must be valid on the first day of Term 1, 2025 (Tuesday 28 January 2025) or Term 2, 2025 (Tuesday 22 April 2025).

A student aged 16 years and over who is considered a mature minor and holds a valid concession card is also eligible to apply.

Eligible families will receive a payment of $154 per year for primary school students. The funds will be paid directly to the school to be used towards camps, sports and excursion costs for the benefit of your child.

If you applied for CSEF through our school last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year, unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.

If you would like to apply for the first time, complete the application form and return to the school office as soon as possible.

Lucy Addati

Thank You – Mother’s Day Stall A heartfelt thank you to all the wonderful parents who helped organise and run our Mother’s Day Stall today. We truly couldn’t have done it without you!

The children loved the opportunity to shop for their mums or the special people in their lives, it was a joy to see their excitement and thoughtfulness.

Wishing all our mums and special caregivers a very Happy Mother’s Day!

Lower Plenty Bakehouse proudly partners with our school to provide fundraising lunch orders every Thursday.

This initiative, organised by our Parents and Friends Committee, serves as one of our school’s major fundraising efforts. All proceeds will go towards our significant school upgrade project.

Term 2 Fundraising Lunch Order Dates:

• Thursday 15th May (Orders close: Monday 12th May, 3:00 PM) - Year 4 Camp
• Thursday 22nd May (Orders close: Monday 19th May, 3:00 PM)
• Thursday 29th May (Orders close: Monday 26th May, 3:00 PM)
• Thursday 5th June (Orders close: Monday 2nd June, 3:00 PM)
• Thursday 12th June (Orders close: Monday 9th June, 3:00 PM)
• Thursday 19th June (Orders close: Monday 16th June, 3:00 PM)
• Thursday 26th June (Orders close: Monday 23rd June, 3:00 PM)

Ordering Instructions: Orders must be placed in advance via Compass Canteen. Ordering will close at 3:00 PM on the Monday before each lunch date.

You can now place orders for all Term 2 lunch dates in advance if preferred.

A Parent User Guide on how to order through Compass Canteen is below for your convenience. Please note, a $0.35 transaction fee will apply at checkout.

All food is Halal.

Thank you for supporting our school community!

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​​ICY POLE FRIDAY Students can purchase icy poles over the counter every Friday at lunchtime for $1.00 each. We offer an assortment of different icy poles each week, but always have Zooper Doopers available.This serves as a school fundraiser.

If you're interested in volunteering as a parent helper to sell icy poles, please contact the school's general office.

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 3:00pm to 3:30pm, 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.

SINGING WITH GABRIELLA - Gabriella

• Email: favrettogab@gmail.com
• Phone: 0413 676 733

STRINGS – Jack Cai

• Email: jack3bld@gmail.com
• Phone: 0426 665 044

STRINGS - MR CAI

• Email: cai66@optusnet.com.au
• Phone: 0403 490 078

PIANO/KEYBOARD/DRUMS - Daniel Tucceri

• Email: info@banyulemusicandtutoring.com
• Phone: 0405 667 908

GUITAR - Dimi Holborow

• Email: dimiholborow@outlook.com
• Phone: 0409 629 612

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

Online Ordering Please Visit:  www.aplusschoolwear.com.au