Viewbank Voice 21.05.2026

2026 IMPORTANT DIARY DATES

• Saturday 23rd May - Working Bee, 9am -12:00pm
• Tuesday 21st July - Parents & Friends meeting, 7:30pm
• 8th and 10th September - School Production

PUPIL FREE DAYS (TheirCare School Holiday Program will be available on pupil-free days)

• Friday 5th June
• Wednesday 15th July
• Monday 2nd November

2026 CAMP DATES

• Year 5 Lady Northcote Discovery Camp: 07 October to 09 October
• Year 3 Phillip Island Adventure Camp: 26 October to 28 October

2026 TERM DATES

• TERM 2: 20 April - 26 June
• TERM 3: 13 July - 18 September
• TERM 4: 5 October- 18 December

ANGLESEA CAMP I am happy to report that the Grade 4s had a wonderful experience at the YMCA Camp at Anglesea last week.  The weather gods smiled upon us, the students’ behaviour was excellent, and they participated in a range of adventure activities that were motivating and challenging.  These included canoeing, initiative games, archery, crate climb, giant swing and more.  Many thanks to all the staff and parent volunteers who participated and made this a lifelong memory for our students.

SCHOOL COUNCIL School Council met last week under the Presidency of Aisha Stewart to discuss a range of matters, to approve financial reports and to discuss future plans.  Later in this newsletter you will see that Their Care have increased their fees in line with inflation commencing in Term 3 and this was one of the matters approved by School Council.  We also discussed prioritising a range of grounds improvements and targeting one or more of these priorities to be specifically funded by fundraising. DISTRICT CROSS COUNTRY The District Cross Country was held last Tuesday at Banyule Flats and was highlighted by some outstanding performances by our students.  Congratulations to every single member of the district team for your efforts and endeavour.  Special congratulations to Ariana Georgakopoulos, Tea McMurray, Charlotte Watkins, Lucas Schmidt, Lizzie Rance, Jessica Martinez, Ethan Woo, Sam Watkins, Gabriel Arul, Freya O'Reilly, Riley Cadusch and Alex Carnovale who have all qualified for the Divisional Championships to be held on Wednesday, June 3.

EDUCATION WEEK This week is Education Week, and we were thrilled to see so many visitors to our school on Open Morning on Tuesday.  As always, one of the joys is to see our student leaders pairing up and conducting school tours throughout the day proudly highlighting all the great things that our school has to offer.  A number of these student leaders will front up again this Saturday morning to do the same between 10am and 1 pm and for that we are extremely grateful and proud.  OPEN MORNING AND WORKING BEE As mentioned, Saturday morning, May 23, is an Open morning from 10am until 1pm, with a particular focus on Foundation 2027.  It is also the date and time of our Term 2 working bee, and you will have seen previous correspondence encouraging you to attend, even if for just an hour or two. PUPIL FREE DAY A timely reminder that Friday, June 5 is a pupil free day and there will not be any classes for students on that day.  Their Care will be offering all day care which can be booked in the usual way.  With the King’s Birthday public holiday on Monday, it will be a long weekend for families and a great opportunity to recharge the batteries so early in Winter.   CAR PARKING – NEVIN PARADE We have been informed by Banyule Council that the three car parking spaces at the southern end of Nevin Parade will no longer be available during the busy pick-up time at the end of the school day.  In the past these three car parks have obscured visibility entering Nevin Parade and also have restricted the free flow of vehicles in and out of Nevin Parade. In the future, and especially at the busy 3.30pm pick up time, cars entering Nevin Parade will simply ‘join the queue’.  Those already in Nevin Parade will be able to ‘move up’ as others collect their children and leave and will also be able to leave when their children have safely come to their car.  Sounds good in theory, and will work if drivers respect the ‘system’ and show patience.  At time of writing, signage has not yet been updated but as always please check the parking signs carefully. SCHOOL CROSSING FEEDBACK Whilst discussing car parking and general vehicle safety around our school, it is disappointing to pass on the feedback received from our school crossing supervisor on Lascelles Avenue.  I have included this as received and ask everyone to attend to the points and matters raised with a sense of urgency and care for all students and pedestrians. My concern is due to witnessing bad decisions made by drivers during drop off time such as;

• Using a mobile phone whilst driving over the crossing, not watching the road
• Double parking and curb parking to let their children out of the car
• Stopping in the middle of the road and children are exiting the vehicle on the inside lane
• Driving too fast when running late
• Making U turns, awkwardly and illegally
• Stopping in front of the flags to let children out, holding up traffic who are overtaking them.

There is a great page on the RACV website that provides driver education of the rules, tips and school zone road safety and I am wondering if there is a parent forum or portal that perhaps this could be posted?   https://www.racv.com.au/royalauto/transport/vic-road-rule-guides/getting-kids-to-school-safely-guide.html   PARKING IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD Sadly, I have also received complaints from neighbours about the parking habits of some of our parents.  In the instance referenced, one parent driving a white Kluger routinely parks her car in such a manner as to be obstructing two driveways in Rosemar Circuit. I was even provided with photographic evidence to support the complaint. I respectfully remind our parent community about the considerations and road rules required within our broader community and to show respect and commonsense. SCHOOL HISTORY This week, I thought it would be interesting to include a few photos from our past.  The first shows the whole school of 1966. The second is the original school building which ran east to west – basically from where the current Grade 5 and 6 building is across to the flagpoles and Grade 2 playground.  Finally, the playground circa 1966 where the gymnasium currently sits.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.  I might see you at school on Saturday morning. Kind regards,   Bill Kersing Principal

The Smile Squad free school dental program is coming to our school Dear Viewbank Primary School families, The Smile Squad team from Holstep Health are coming to our school. 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. Sign up to Smile Squad at: https://bit.ly/smilesquadvic OR use the below QR code:

Please complete and submit the consent form by Wednesday June 3rd. 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. Let us know if you need help completing the form. Interpreter services are available for families.    Smile Squad oral health packs  All children deserve a healthy smile, and the Smile Squad free school dental program is working hard to help make sure this happens.  Your child(ren) will soon receive a free oral health pack to bring home. The pack contains a toothbrush, full sized toothpaste, and an oral health brochure. Please take the time to read the brochure. It’s full of helpful hints and tips to help your whole family eat well, drink well and clean well – for life.   Standard strength toothpaste Smile Squad provides standard strength fluoride toothpaste that is generally used by ages six and over, unless recommended by a dental or trained health professional. If your child is under six, please talk to a dental or trained health professional to find out if your child might benefit from using this toothpaste. You can also choose to put the toothpaste away until they turn six or give it to someone else in your family to use.   Do I need to attend my child’s appointment? No, you do not need to attend your child’s appointment. You can attend if you would like to, and you can take your child to the community dental clinic if you prefer. The Holstep Health Smile Squad look forward to seeing you soon.  

Reconciliation Week at Barrbunin Beek Barrbunin Beek Aboriginal Gathering Place is a community-led gathering place inclusive of all First Nations people to connect with mob, connect with culture and promote self-determination.  Located in West Heidelberg Barrbunin Beek means “Happy Place” in Woi-wurrung.  Every year the Barrbunin Beek Aboriginal Gathering Place opens its doors for three key events in the spirit of National Reconciliation week to learn who we are and how we can work together. The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2026 is All In, a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day.  To help support the theme All In Barrbunin Beek in partnership with Banyule City Council and Reconciliation Banyule would like to invite the community to three events:

• NATIONAL SORRY DAY HEALING CEREMONY Tuesday 26th May 2026 1pm to 2.20pm Malahang Reserve , Corner Oriel Rd and Southern Rd, West Heidelberg. A great opportunity to join Wurundjeri Elders and representatives for a healing ceremony which we honour the resilience of the First Nations community affected by the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Event will have a couple of speeches, flag lowering, smoking ceremony and dance workshop. Lunch will also be provided. We welcome all who wish to participate in this meaningful occasion of healing and remembrance.

• BARRBUNIN BEEK FAMILY DAY AND MOB MARKET Saturday 30th May 2026 11.30am to 3pm Barrbunin Beek Aboriginal Gathering Place, 55 Catalina St Heidelberg West Every year Barrbunin Beek hosts a family day with a range of cultural activities, BBQ and market. The event is supported by a range of partners all working together in the spirit of Reconciliation. This is a great opportunity for the wider community to see what is done at a gathering place and how everyone can all work together. The event will also be supporting local First Nations businesses with a Mob market on the day. Free fun for the whole family.

• RECONCILIATION WEEK PARTNERS AND FRIENDS LUNCH @ BARRBUNIN BEEK Wednesday 3rd June 2026 12pm to 2pm Barrbunin Beek Aboriginal Gathering Place, 55 Catalina St, Heidelberg West Barrbunin Beek invites their partners and friends to join a lunch for National Reconciliation Week. This is a great opportunity to learn about how to support all the amazing work at Barrbunin Beek Aboriginal Gathering Place. For catering purposes please book at https://www.trybooking.com/DLPAG

Foundation – Grade 2 Cross Country Fun

Regards Gill

SEMESTER 1 STUDENT REPORTS I am sure that you are aware, the Department of Education and the various unions who have been negotiating a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA), have reached an in-principle agreement. We will be providing student achievement reports for Semester 1 this year as usual. These reports will be available during the final week of Term 2. The reports will continue to provide important details about student learning attainment, but full descriptive comments may not be included as a result of the industrial action taken earlier this term by the Australian Education Union (AEU). We will of course be pleased to discuss with you your child’s progress at our next round of interviews or, as always, you can contact your child’s teacher to arrange a meeting. Have a great weekend,   Patrick

Enrolments For Foundation/Prep 2027 is Now Open Enrolments for the 2027 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. Please refer to Factsheet for more information.

Kind regards, Lucy Addati

INTRO FOR FRUIT BOXES This year, Viewbank Primary School has partnered with Food Bank’s Breakfast Club program to offer fresh fruit in all of our classrooms.  Students have access to have fresh fruit and veg throughout the school day. This includes apples, carrots, bananas, pears, or oranges. The reason that we started this program was to promote healthy eating for every student in our school. It normally comes to the classrooms on a Tuesday or a Wednesday. Written by Kaisan and Marley, Communication Captains 2026.

Education Support Day To celebrate Education Support Day at Viewbank Primary School, our Student School Captains shared some heartfelt words of thanks to the incredible Education Support staff who help our school every day. Below is a copy of their speech that recognises the many ways our support staff care for, guide and strengthen our school community.

2026 Student Attitudes to School Survey We are pleased to invite our students in Years 4 to 6 to participate in the annual Student Attitudes to School Survey (AtoSS). This voluntary survey provides valuable insights into student experiences, including their thoughts on school life, learning, and wellbeing. The survey will be conducted at our school from 25 May to 12 June. Please find a link to the detailed parent information which outlines the survey process, how privacy is protected, and instructions on how to opt out if you prefer your child not to participate.

Sushi Day Orders Now Open! - TUESDAY 2nd JUNE We’re excited to announce that Sushi Day is coming to Viewbank Primary School on Tuesday, 2nd June 2026! - CLICK HERE TO ORDER NOW! Treat your child to a fresh and delicious sushi lunch while supporting our school’s fundraising efforts. Choose from a variety of options including:

• Tuna & Avocado (GF, DF)
• Avocado (V, GF, DF, EF, VG)
• Tuna (GF, DF)
• Crispy Chicken (DF, EF)
• Teriyaki Chicken (GF, DF, EF)
• Mixed Pack (Crispy Chicken + Tuna)

Prices:

• Twin Packs (2 rolls of the same type): $9.00
• Single Packs: $4.70
• Mixed Pack (2 different rolls): $9.00

All prices include GST and there are no additional online fees. How to Order: Head to www.sushi.net.au to place your order. Order Deadline: All orders must be placed by 10am, Monday 1st June. No late orders can be accepted. Important Reminder: After placing your order, please check your email for a confirmation to ensure your order has been successfully submitted. If you do not receive a confirmation email, your order may not have gone through. Thank you for your support, and we can’t wait for a fun and tasty Sushi 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 28th May (Orders close: Monday 25th May, 3:00 PM) Thursday 4th June (Orders close: Monday 1st June, 3:00 PM) Thursday 11th June (Orders close: Monday 8th June, 3:00 PM) Thursday 18th June (Orders close: Monday 15th June, 3:00 PM) Thursday 25th June (Orders close: Monday 22nd 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. All food is Halal. 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. Thank you for supporting our school community!

​​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.

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: mastermusic606@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.

Lowes Northland Uniform Store – Lowes Northland store has relocated to a new space within the Northland Shopping Centre.

• New location (from 14 March): Tenancy K004, near Rebel and JB Hi-Fi, Northland Shopping Centre

Families can also shop online via the Lowes website. https://www.lowes.com.au/schools-online/viewbank-primary-school Thank you for your understanding while the store completes its move.