- Colour Run Day (Whole School) - Friday 28 March
2025 TERM DATES
- TERM 1: 28 January - 4 April (Students start: Year 1 to 6 - 29 January, Foundation - 30 January)
- 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
WORKING BEE Many thanks to every single person who turned up on Sunday for our Term 1 working bee. Whilst the turn up was less than we had hoped for nonetheless mums, dads, students and teachers pitched in to complete a range of tasks. Special thank you as always to Michael Parrent, whose drive and vision as leader of the school’s grounds subcommittee generates the support of the community and enables us to achieve the grounds improvements that make our school so aesthetically pleasing. Thank you to the Cadusch, Parrent, Baligar, McDonald, Ruddock, Beilin, Chien, Herring, La Rosa, Andreou, Walsh, Nicholls, Kersing, Di and Lai families for attendance on the day.
REGIONAL SWIMMING AND DISTRICT ATHLETICS UPDATES I’m happy to report that our regional swimmers performed with distinction last week at the championships at WaterMarc in Greensborough. Congratulations to Lucas Liu, Joachim Lai, Shun Gill, Blake Cameron, Darcy Carpenter, and Rubi Narula!
- Medley Relay Team – 2nd place
- Shun Gill (U12 Breaststroke) – 3rd place
- Lucas Liu (U11 Backstroke) – 2nd place
Well done to all on your fantastic achievements!
District Athletics took place today at Willinda Park with updates and outcomes available in next week’s newsletter.
END OF TERM It’s hard to believe that the end of term 1 is fast approaching. For new families, the last day of Term 1 (Friday, April 4) concludes at 2.30pm (an hour earlier than normal). We conclude Term 1 with a whole school assembly in the gymnasium from 2.10pm so we hope to see you there.
ROAD SAFETY AND CAR PARKING We continue to implore our families to slow down, be extra vigilant and be patient at drop off and especially at pick up times. Our school is not so much different to many others – car parking is very limited, and the peripheral vision and road sense of young students is limited or developing. The weather recently has been excellent and with cooling days and more typically ‘autumnal’ weather, the opportunities to park a small distance from the school and walk to and from school at either end of the day with your children should be welcomed. As well as the benefits of a short brisk walk, the ability to ‘unpack’ the day with your children as you walk back to your car should be cherished. Don’t ask ‘what did you do today?’ reframe the question to ‘what was the best thing you did today?. Please do your part to reduce the congestion and sometimes chaos that comes with the 10-15 minutes before and after school times, by adopting the park and walk strategy at best or at the very least taking your time and showing patience and awareness.
School Council is working with local council, and some very generous ex-parents with expertise in car parking and traffic management, to put together a proposal to develop a school car park and possibly a new drop off and pick up area to try to diminish the traffic and parking congestion around the school. Hopefully, a successful submission for a North East Link grant in upcoming weeks will give us the extra capital to bring to reality this proposal.
VICTORIAN TEACHING AND LEARNING MODEL A lot of our professional learning at Viewbank Primary School this year will focus on the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0, which has recently been updated. The Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 (VTLM 2.0) is an updated framework developed by the Victorian Department of Education to enhance teaching and learning practices across government schools. This revision emphasizes explicit teaching methods and integrates contemporary research on effective education strategies. The VTLM 2.0 also aligns with existing frameworks like the Positive Classroom Management Strategies (PCMS) to promote student well-being and effective classroom management. All Victorian government schools are expected to integrate VTLM 2.0 into their teaching and learning programs, with full implementation aiming to start the 2028 school year. This model represents a significant shift towards evidence-based practices, with explicit instruction at its core, to enhance student learning outcomes across Victoria.
Have a lovely weekend,
Kind regards,
Bill Kersing
The following information is from the Raising Children parenting website and is suitable for children nine years and older.
Dealing with Conflict: Problem Solving Skills and Steps
When pre-teens and teenagers learn skills and strategies for problem-solving and sorting out conflicts by themselves, it’s good for their confidence and wellbeing. They’re also better placed to make good decisions on their own.
By putting time and energy into developing your child’s problem-solving skills, you send 2 important messages. These are that you value your child’s input into important decisions and that you think your child is capable of managing their own problems.
This is good for your relationship with your child.
Why problem-solving skills are important
We all need to solve problems every day. But we’re not born with the skills we need to do this – we have to develop them.
Skills for problem-solving include:
- listening and thinking calmly
- considering options and respecting other people’s opinions and needs
- negotiating and working towards compromises.
These are skills for life – they’re highly valued in both social and work situations.
- Problem-solving: 6 steps
Often problems can be solved by talking and negotiating.
The following 6 steps for problem-solving are useful when a solution cannot be found. They can be used to work on most problems, including difficult choices or decisions and conflicts between people.
If you practise these steps with your child at home, your child is more likely to use them with their own problems or conflicts with others.
1. Identify the problem
The first step in problem-solving is working out exactly what the problem is. This can help everyone understand the problem in the same way.
It’s best to get together with everyone who’s affected by the problem and then put the problem into words that make it solvable.
2. Think about why it’s a problem
Help your child or children describe what’s causing the problem and where it’s coming from. It might help to consider answers to questions like these:
- Why is this so important to you?
- Why do you need this?
- What do you think might happen?
- What’s upsetting you?
- What’s the worst thing that could happen?
Try to listen without arguing or debating. This is your chance to really hear what’s going on with your child. Encourage your child to use statements like ‘I need …’, ‘I want …’ and ‘I feel …’, and try using these phrases yourself. Encourage your child to focus on the issue and keep blame out of this step.
3. Brainstorm possible solutions to the problem
Make a list of all the possible ways you and your child could solve the problem. You’re looking for a range of possibilities, both sensible and not so sensible. Try to avoid judging or debating these yet.
If you’re problem-solving with more than one child, make sure each child suggests some solutions.
If your child has trouble coming up with solutions, start them off with suggestions of your own. You could set the tone by making a crazy suggestion first – funny or extreme solutions can end up sparking more helpful options. Try to come up with at least 5 possible solutions together. You might like to download and use the problem-solving worksheet from the website.
4. Evaluate the solutions to the problem
Look at the pros and cons of all the suggested solutions in turn. This way, everyone will feel that their suggestions have been considered.
It might help to cross off solutions that you all agree aren’t acceptable. For example, you might all agree that leaving your children to agree on sharing the Xbox isn’t an option because they’ve already tried that and it hasn’t worked.
When you have a list of pros and cons for the remaining solutions, cross off the ones that have more negatives than positives. Now rate each solution from 0 (not good) to 10 (very good). This will help you sort out the most promising solutions.
The solution you and your child choose should be one that your child can put into practice and that could solve the problem.
What if you haven’t been able to find a promising solution? Go back to step 3, and look for new solutions. It might help to talk to other people, like other family members, to get a fresh range of ideas.
5. Put the solution into action
Once you’ve agreed on a solution, plan exactly how it will work. It can help to do this in writing and to include the following points:
- Who will do what?
- When will they do it?
- What’s needed to put the solution into action?
6. Evaluate the outcome of your problem-solving process
Once your child or children have put the plan into action, you need to check how it went and help them go through the process again if they need to.
Remember that your child will need to give the solution time to work and that not all solutions will work. Sometimes your child will need to try more than one solution.
Part of effective problem-solving is being able to adapt when things don’t go as well as expected.
Enjoy your week and hope to see you at the Colour Run on Friday afternoon.
Gill
National Assessment Program – Literacy And Numeracy (NAPLAN) All students who were expected to complete the 2025 NAPLAN assessments did so by the end of the assessment period. I would like to thank the Year 3 and Year 5 staff for ensuring the tests were undertaken in accordance with the rules that were expected by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). There was the occasional technical difficulty, but these were dealt with calmly and efficiently. Thank you also to the Year 5 families who ensured that the BYOD iPads had the 2025 Lockdown Browser installed and Bluetooth headphones and keyboards (for those that chose to use these) were connected beforehand. Results will be forwarded once they arrive at school later this year.
Colour Fun Run This is all ready to go tomorrow after lunch. Here are some pics from 2023 to inspire you all!
The Parents and Friends have a Frequently Asked Questions flyer below, but I will answer a few questions (from the FAQ and others we have been asked) here:
- Can parents come and watch? Yes! But please remember, space is limited (on the oval and car spots in the surrounding streets).
- Is Friday 28th a Free Dress Day? Yes. Please note, no singlets or tank tops are allowed. Students must wear closed toe footwear. Any students that are wearing their school clothes (particularly a dress or school top) will NOT be able to participate. A light colour t-shirt is recommended!
- Can my child get changed at school? We are requesting that all students, Foundation to Year 6, come to school in Free Dress. 650 students changing at lunch will make for a very clogged bathroom area!
- Do we need to bring a gold coin donation? No. All students can participate providing they are wearing the correct clothing for the event. However, this is a school fundraiser so please support the students and follow the Compass links to donate.
- What happens if my child doesn’t want to participate? No problem, we will not be forcing any student to participate if they do not want to. They are more than welcome to cheer on their classmates!
- It will be hot in the afternoon; can my child wear their school hat? The answer is yes. However, it would be best to provide another named hat that does not matter if it is stained or lost (remember, we will have nearly 650 students on the oval!)
- Will there be sunscreen available? Yes, but our school policy prevents staff members from applying it to students.
- Does my child need sunglasses? They will be provided on the day.
- Will the colour powder wash out? In most cases, yes. However, we have heard from others that if some colour is concentrated in one spot, it may not. Also, the quality of the powder may influence its washability. *All clothing worn MAY be stained. Please do not send any new or expensive clothing to school tomorrow.
- What happens at the end? Students will be taking their school bags to the oval after lunch. Students will NOT be returning to classrooms. They will be dismissed from the oval at 3:30pm (TheirCare is aware of our event tomorrow and will make appropriate arrangements). Foundation students will be dismissed from their normal pick-up area. For those of you who need to drive your children home, it would be a great idea to bring a towel or other covering to put over your car seats.
- What is the MOST important thing to remember? For everyone to have fun!
This is an inclusive event that has a dual purpose - Fundraising to help with various projects around the school (must be approved by our School Council) and as a school community event that brings us all together.
Patrick
School Saving Bonus We encourage families who have not yet accessed their SSB on the Department portal to log in as soon as possible and allocate how you would like to use your $400 School Saving Bonus for 2025. The funds will not be visible on Compass, as they are recorded in your family accounts within our school-based computer system.
At Viewbank Primary School, you have the flexibility to allocate your bonus in one of two ways:
- In-store/online purchases of uniforms at A Plus Schoolwear (AGS Prints Pty Ltd)
- School activities, such as camps, excursions, incursions, and activities
Please note once you make your selection, it cannot be changed, so ensure you are confident in your decision.
We are unable to automatically allocate your funds to Term 1 school incursions, excursions, and activities unless you first select this option through the portal. Once you designate the funds to our school, they will be automatically applied to your child/ren's upcoming activities unless you advise us in advance.
If your child/ren will be away on holidays during the school term, please email the school (Viewbank.ps@education.vic.gov.au) and record the absence on Compass to ensure funds are not allocated to an activity while your child/ren is away.
Please note: the School Saving Bonus cannot be allocated towards the Curriculum and Other Contributions (Parent Payments Arrangements)
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.
If you have only recently completed your enrolment into the Victorian government school system you can expect to receive your SSB code(s) in the coming weeks.
If you have transferred to our school from another Victorian government school, any remaining funds on your SSB code(s) will soon be available to use at our approved school suppliers. We request your patience as this change is processed.
The Department of Education has established a dedicated contact centre to support the SSB. 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.
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 2024, you do not need to complete an application form in 2025 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 2025 or you did not apply in 2024.
- changed family circumstances; such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing at the school in 2025.
- 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.
Lucy Addati
Crazy Hair/Crazy Hat Day "We have some buzz-worthy news to share! At this week’s assembly, Amber and Diya took to the stage to announce our very first Beehave Points reward for the year.
By demonstrating our school values of Respect, Responsibility, Resilience, and Kindness, we have officially collected 250 Beehave points—that means there have been an incredible 2,500 acts of positivity within our school community! This milestone means we have reached our very first Honey Pot reward, bringing us one step closer to an even bigger school-wide celebration.
The first school reward is… Crazy Hair/Crazy Hat Day!
Students can start preparing their wackiest, most creative hairstyles or hats for Friday, 4th April (Week 10)—the last day of term! While students will still need to wear their school uniform, their hair and hats can be as wild as they like. We have already heard some exciting ideas, including brightly coloured hairspray, spikes, curls, and silly accessories. Our final assembly of the term is sure to be a memorable one!
We can’t wait to see everyone’s crazy creations next week!"
Harmony Week - Written by Joachim, Arjun and Liam
Viewbank Primary School celebrated Harmony Week on Friday March 21st. Recently, the leadership team collaborated and came up with the great idea to run an assembly showcasing all the culture, religions and beliefs of our school. It was run by the Communication and Engagement and Wellbeing captains who hosted a great parade and showed a well prepared slideshow. Many of the highlights were; the parade, fun activities planned by teachers, the multiculturalism of Australia and the cool and intriguing costumes.
Harmony day is a day where we celebrate the great diversity and multiculturalism of our country and school. We also show how we celebrate and what we celebrate by telling stories and sharing special items.
Below are some of the activities students participated in on Harmony Day.
- 6G : Blookets as a fun way to recognise the different cultures here in Australia.
- 5L : All of Year 5 made paper chain people to recognise cultures in our classrooms. Some of the classes shared the activities with their buddies.
- 1D : Storytelling and paper chains with 5B
- 2T : BTN, more paper chains, storytelling, little Harmony hearts
- FE : Shared about outfits, Indian, Chinese, Irish, Korean, Watched Peppa Pig about harmony day and read a story about harmony day.
Everyone who wore traditional clothing and items had a chance to be proud of their culture. The theme was everyone has a role to play. It was a memorable day to celebrate the diversity of the school.
Fundraising leaders – Reminder Colour Run Friday 28 March
Just one days to go until the 2025 whole school Colour Fun Run!
Thanks to everyone who has donated so far, Foundation G are still leading the way, however the competition is heating up and we have some new fundraising leaders:
- Foundation G
- Grade 2SR
- Foundation D
- Grade 6Y
With a notable mention to Grade 4 students who overall are leading the way as a year level!
Don’t forget for every $10 a student raises they go into the entry to win a family pass to an AFL match of choice or a family pass to Funfields. And of course a hot chip lunch to the junior and senior classes that raise the most funds.
This is one of the Parents & Friend Committee’s key fundraising events for the year and we appreciate your support.
Click here to donate until Tuesday 1 April 2025: https://compasstix.com/e/sx0q2brrio
The weather is looking fantastic for a fun afternoon and we hope to see you there. Students are reminded to wear appropriate clothes to school for the day - a light coloured t-shirt to maximise the colour is recommended!
The Viewbank Primary School Parents and Friends Committee is proud to announce the 2025 Colour Fun Run Fundraiser!
- When: Friday 28th March – 2.30 to 3.30pm on the school oval.
- What: At their own pace students will be encouraged to run, walk or skip through an obstacle course which includes colour stations.
- What else: Students are encouraged to wear a white t-shirt with appropriate sports attire to the school for the day. Sunglasses will be provided.
- Why: A colour run is a fun way for students to be active with friends and raise money for the school! Share the fundraising link with family and friends. https://compasstix.com/e/sx0q2brrio
- Anything else? The junior and senior classes that raise the most money win a hot chip lunch!
- More: See the Colour Fun Run FAQs and think about volunteering to help!
Volunteers The Colour Fun Run encourages our students to be active, help raise funds for the school and have a little fun along the way. We will rely on some parent helpers to make the day a huge success and you’re guaranteed to have a little fun too!
We require helpers on the day for the duration of the event. A briefing will occur at 1.45pm and the event finishes at 3.30pm (a little pack up support would be appreciated).
Roles will include encouraging student participation, throwing some colour powder and even getting students wet!
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 1 Fundraising Lunch Order Dates:
- Thursday 3rd April (Orders close: Monday 31st March, 3:00 PM)
Term 2 Fundraising Lunch Order Dates:
- Thursday 24th April (Orders close: Monday 21st April, 3:00 PM)
- Thursday 1st May (Orders close: Monday 28th April, 3:00 PM)
- Thursday 8th May (Orders close: Monday 5th May, 3:00 PM)
- 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 1 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!
.
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
Help Reduce Waste and Support Our School! - Purchase Your Name Labels Now Are you tired of losing lunch boxes and clothing? Please remember to always label your items so they can be returned to you, helping to reduce landfill. You can easily order labels via this link: https://www.mynamelabel.com.au/discount/VPS0515
This is a fundraising activity, and all funds raised will contribute to making our school more sustainable. You can order labels at any time throughout the year!
Our fundraising code is VPS0515.
Thank you for supporting sustainability at Viewbank Primary School!
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